Cathy Basterfield recently celebrated her 101st birthday surrounded by loved ones and friends.

On September 16, the Ron Smith Care Centre resident cut her birthday cake herself and shared it with those who gathered to celebrate with her.

Born in Johannesburg, Basterfield grew up in Modderfontein, where her father worked at the dynamite factory.

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She remembers a happy childhood that included swimming in the local dam and feeding the swans.

After she matriculated from Yeoville Girls’ Convent, Basterfield completed a secretarial course before working as a shorthand typist at Samuel Osborne Engineering Co.

“I married my boss, Bud, after becoming his secretary, and we were together for 33 years until he died in 1975,” she said in an interview a few years ago.

The couple had two children, as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Basterfield later remarried and travelled extensively with her new husband, visiting Australia, New Zealand and North America, among other destinations.

Sadly, he died nine years later.

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“We were in the same social circles and used to play bowls together.

“We were happy together,” said Basterfield.

She said an important part of her life was the walking trips she took across England, Greece and Turkey.

“One of my simple pleasures used to be sitting in the veld after a hike, enjoying sandwiches and a thermos flask of hot tea.”