‘Tough cookie’ celebrates centenary

Published 12:07pm 10 November 2020

One week after moving into Bolton Clarke’s new residential aged care building at Fernhill, Caboolture, Edna Anna Curr celebrated another significant milestone - her 100^th birthday.

Edna and her family gathered at Fernhill to celebrate the family matriarch, the first of their clan to reach 100 years.

“I’ve had a hard life,” says Edna. “A good life, but tough - I’m happy to be 100.”

Instant love

Edna was born on November 4, 1920 and raised in the Somerset region at Mt Beppo, 20 minutes from Esk.

After her mother died when Edna was just 18 months old, she was raised by her older sister Edie, who had 11 children of her own.

She attended school at Mount Beppo, meeting her first husband Ray Brown at the age of 18 and marrying when she was 20. Ray was 10 years her senior. “It was love at first sight,” she says. “He was quite handsome.”

War years

The pair moved to Sydney and when Ray went to war, Edna stayed and worked in kitchens. Ray returned home on a hospital ship a changed man and the pair eventually separated.

Edna remarried twice, first Jack Sewell in the early 70s and then Ray Curr in the mid 80s. They too were military men, serving in the Army.

She had five children but lost two as infants and a third later from cancer. Her family say she’s a ‘tough cookie,’ and incredibly resilient.

Smiles and laughs

Despite enduring more than her fair share of life’s challenges Edna marked her 100^th birthday with plenty of smiles and laughs.

Fernhill Residential Manager Ram Korla presented her with a commemorative Bolton Clarke Centenarian Club teacup, honouring her milestone. “The cup is lovely,” she says.

Special club

Mr Korla says: “We are so pleased to welcome Edna to our Centenarian Club. It is such a special milestone and all our team wish her a very happy 100^th birthday.”

Edna is also joined by good friends from the Fernhill retirement village, where she first lived before moving into the co-located aged care community.

“It’s been a busy day!” she says. “All this commotion! I’m ready for a stretch and a lie down!”

Edna is one of 166 centenarians Bolton Clarke is welcoming to its Centenarian Club in 2020.