Sheila celebrates 100 years

SHE may be a centenarian, but Sheila Healy still likes to keep up to date with what’s happening in the world and reads the newspapers from front to back to keep up with world affairs.

Sheila, who is a resident at the Oustpan retirement centre, turned 100 years old on Monday, 20 January. She celebrated her 100th birthday at a lunch at the Durban Country Club on Sunday while earlier in the week, staff and friends at Outspan attended a special birthday party celebration for her at the centre.

At the party, Margie Smith, TAFTA CEO, spoke about Sheila and the amazing changes she had been through and seen over the past 100 years, adding that it was very important to celebrate this special birthday with such as special woman.

Sheila was born in Durban 1914 and was one of five children. She has one living sister who is 98 years old. She was one of the first pupils to attend Penzance Primary School, and her family followed in her footsteps and all attended the school. Sheila still keeps in touch with the school today.

Sheila’s first job was at the Durban Telephone Exchange, where she worked for many years. She married David Cooper, with whom she had two sons, Darryll and Owen, both of whom have passed away. She has four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

In 1953, Sheila married John Healy and the couple spent 30 happy years together enjoying many trips overseas and sea cruises. John died in 1984.

Sheila moved to Tafta Lodge, where she lived for 13 years and was an active member of the Anna Conradie Centre where she was involved in organising activities.

She moved to Outspan Retirement Centre after a leg injury necessitated she needed care, and she has lived there for a year.

Sheila has always been an excellent seamstress and made her own clothes and knitted jerseys for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was also a keen gardener.

Her niece, Shirley Bird, said she would attribute Sheila’s long life to the fact she has always been very active and never smoked or drank.

“She has always been healthy and most of the time did her own housework. She dresses up every day and puts on her make-up!” said Shirley.

Sheila enjoys the outdoors and often can be found sitting in Shirley’s garden. “She loves the trees and flowers and has always loved the sea and the beach,” said Shirley.

She said Sheila was not a fan of watching TV but that she read the newspaper from front to back and kept up to date with world affairs. “Sheila still loves to knit and is knitting squares at the moment for a blanket for her great-great-niece. She likes to keep up to date with what’s happening in the world so she can discuss things when she speaks to her family all over the world,” said Shirley.

Margie Smith said Sheila had a lovely sense of humour and was a survivor. “She has lost both her sons and her husband, but has rallied from the sadness and always been positive,” she said.

Friends and staff from Tafta Lodge enjoyed spending the day with her last week to celebrate her birthday and tucked into a birthday cake sponsored by Queensmead Spar.