Shepparton's Anne Wright has celebrated her 99th birthday in style with two parties — one at the weekend and one yesterday — and is now counting the days until she reaches triple figures.
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Surrounded by her sister, bridesmaid, her four sons, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, Mrs Wright said she looked around the table during her birthday lunch and thought how lucky she was.
“I’ve had a good life, a really good life in Shepparton,” Mrs Wright said.
Mrs Wright grew up on a farm in Horsham and married the love of her life, Len, in 1944.
“It was up and down because of the war years,” Mrs Wright said.
“He was overseas for two-and-a-half years and then when he came back he joined the navy and was called up again.
“But after that we had such a lovely time together.”
The pair settled on a farm on the outskirts of Horsham and had four sons together.
The family moved to Shepparton in 1962 as drought took its toll, seeking better education and work opportunities.
“Wool prices went down, and we were carting water for the stock, and the young lambs were suffering because they didn’t have enough to eat, it was heart-breaking,” she said.
But Mrs Wright said she didn't regret the move and wouldn’t like to live anywhere else.
“A lot of my family are here, and my grandchildren are here now too,” she said.
Mrs Wright said the way to keep the clock ticking was through keeping busy, being thankful and having a piece of bread and butter every night.
Mrs Wright, who is now living at Maculata Place, goes to bingo every week, is addicted to colouring in, loves to catch up with her girls over coffee or lunch at the RSL and enjoys a cheeky tap of the pokies every now and then.
“It’s silly to say it's boring, because it's not,” she said.
Mrs Wright also goes to church once a week but said she didn't have a preference of which church.
“I’m a Christian, so I go to each one, I go to the Church of England, the Methodist, I go to them all,” she said.
Looking back on the years, Mrs Wright said she was a “very good golfer” and was a champion waltzer with her husband.
“Me and my husband, we entered waltz dancing competitions and it was so much fun,” Mrs Wright said.
“Len was a marvelous dancer.
“I was a good golfer, always holes-in-ones and I only gave it away when I was 86.”
Pulling out her best party attire and treating herself to a new jacket, Mrs Wright celebrated her 99 years with two parties and two birthday cakes.
Mrs Wright said she was looking forward to being on the cover of the The News when she turned 100 next year.
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