Friends and family members gathered to celebrate the 100th birthday of Avenues resident Lillian Brown.
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Celebrations, laughs and smiles were aplenty when the centenarian’s life was celebrated on February 6.
When asked how she felt during her celebrations, Lillian said that she was feeling on top of the world.
Besides being able to enjoy the celebrations with her family the event was made all the more special when Lillian received a letter from Buckingham Palace from Queen Elizabeth congratulating her and wishing her well on her birthday.
Born on February 7 in Queenstown, Eastern Cape, Lillian was six-months-old when her parents moved to Cape Town.
There she grew up until WWII broke out.
Once WWII started, Lillian joined the SA Military Nursing Service (SAMNS) and was posted to Oribi Imperial Military Hospital in Pietermaritzburg.
While serving as a nurse, Lillian met her husband Charles, a patient in her ward, who was injured in Aden in the Middle East.
Lillian said Charles’ legs were injured in a workshop accident when an army lorry pinned him against a piece of artillery.
When Lillian first took leave, she went to visit Cape Town. Charles, who had recovered by then, followed her.
“We had to meet when we could and when we both got time off,” explained Lillian.
By 1943 Lillian and Charles had gotten married. Lillian said she and Charles had only known each other for five months before they wed.
Shortly after the wedding, Lillian was transferred to Baragwanath Hospital and Charles, who was a gunner in the Royal Artillery, was sent to India and later Egypt.
In 1945 Lillian and other war brides were sent by the British Government to England to be reunited with their husbands.
After being reunited with her husband Lillian and Charles lived in Folkestone, Kent for several years.
Two of their three children Margaret and Keith were born there. Their third, Marsha, was born in Ixopo after returning to SA.
Once back in SA, Charles went into teaching and became a school principal.
After living in Zimbabwe for several years, the family finally settled in KZN, in Hilton.
Although Charles passed away in 1999, he and Lillian shared over 50 years of marriage.
Following her husband’s death, Lillian moved to Irene into the Gunners, Engineers Memorial (GEM) Village, which is part of General Smuts’ Farm and later to Rondebosch in Cape Town for several years until coming to live with her daughter Margaret’s family in Edenvale.
Lillian said throughout her life she has enjoyed knitting not only for herself but for charities too.
Lillian also keeps herself busy by completing crosswords, puzzles and sudoku problems.
“I do them not only to keep busy but to keep my mind strong,” explained Lillian.
Weather permitting Lillian also enjoys sitting in the garden and watching the wild birds.
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