Turning 90 can get emotional
Elza Pretorius was overcome by emotion when she pensively discussed her milestone of turning 90 years old.
When asked how special her birthday was to her, she burst into tears.
She turned her head away, wiped away the water works and kept quiet.
Her daughter, Estelle Jane later said her mother is not usually so emotional, but gets teary when people make a fuss over her.
Pretorius, a Northmead resident, celebrated her 90th birthday on July 27.
Family and friends celebrated ”Gran P” or the ”Lady with the Flower in her Lapel” birthday at the Benoni Baptist Church on her big day.
Tea was served and Pretorius blew out the candles on her birthday cake with the help of some family members.
The family then retreated to Summer Place, in Boksburg, where her big day was celebrated further.
Although she was teary when the City Times interviewed her, she had no runny make up to wipe off.
Pretorius has her whole life substituted make up by wearing a flower on her lapel.
She said she hardly ever goes without a flower, and keenly recalls when her late husband, Joe Pretorius was forced to go home on two separate occasions on their way to church to collect a flower from home.
Her husband made sure there was a flower in the car after those incidents, or else, she would pick one the side of the road.
The senior citizen receives a lot of love from her family, with Jane calling her mother an amazing person.
”Everyone makes a fuss over her because she is so special,” said Jane.
”She is the most giving and kind person.”
Jane said her mother has always put other people before herself.
Pretorius spends her birthday money on family; bakes biscuits, makes marmalade and gives people vegetables that she grows in her garden.
She never visits anyone empty handed.
Although Pretorius lived most of her life in Durban, she was born in Smithfield, Free State.
She then relocated to Adelaide, Eastern Cape, where she did her schooling. She completed her nursing training in Uitenhage at age 21.
Then, at 21, she met the man she would be married to for 44 years.
She met her husband at a train station in Bloemfontein when he offered to carry her luggage while she was connecting to another train.
The rest is history.
She worked on-and-off as a nurse for her life and moved to Benoni in 1995.
Today, she enjoys gardening, knitting, baking and spending time with her family.
Her grandson, Steven Green (45), plays a pivotal role in her life.
”There is no body else but him in her life, I don’t even count,” said Jane.
When Pretorius looked for Green’s number on her cell phone, Jane said: ”Isn’t it on speed dial?”
”It’s under Steven the Great,” Pretorius replied.
Steven said his granny is very dear to him.
He said she almost became part of his cricket team as she would go to many of his matches when her health allowed for it.
Pretorius, who helped start the Woodland Baptist Church in her home, praises God for her longevity.
