Tarentaal Retirement Village resident turns 100
She was born at in Cava de’ Tirreni, in the Province of Salerno, Italy, in 1922.
Celebrations were aplenty at Rand Aid’s Tarentaal Retirement Village when Mary Louise Hattingh (neé Carratu) celebrated her 100th birthday in style.
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Held on Mary’s birthday, July 24, the event was hosted by the Tarentaal Residents’ Committee.
According to Mary’s son Gerhard, who is also a Tarentaal resident, Mary was the youngest of eight children.
She was born at home in Cava de’ Tirreni, in the Province of Salerno, Italy, in 1922.
After her mother died of Spanish Flu at the age of 47, her father brought his children to South Africa on the HMS Edinburgh Castle.
The ship’s passenger list indicates their departure from Southampton on February 7 1930.
“When they arrived in Cape Town, Mary told her sisters and brother “this is a beautiful place I think we should stay in this country.”
“We did, for the rest of our lives,” said Mary.
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While Nigel was their first destination, the family later moved to Braamfontein, where Mary attended the convent run by the King Dominicans.
As a young adult, Mary moved to Malvern East to stay with her oldest sister, and they were actively involved in the local parish, run by the Paulist Missionary Priests from the USA.
Mary married Vic Hattingh in 1947 and they had three sons, Gerhard, Michael and John, who all grew up in Springs.
In 1985, she relocated to Edenvale and, 25 years ago, became a resident at Tarentaal Retirement Village in 1997.
Mary’s secret to living a long life is hard work.
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She explained that doing physical housework throughout her life gave her an extremely strong heart which still beats strong today.
Mary thanked God who, she says, has looked after her over the years and allowed her to live to 100.
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