She has been walking and dancing on the earth for the last 100 years and Elaine McDonald reckons she will be doing it for at least another five years.
On Thursday, the Protea Old Age Home resident was surprised with a special party in honour of her 100th birthday.
Elaine turned 100 today, Tuesday, June 30, but the party was held a few days early as she was going off to Mossel Bay on holiday for a month.
“I have reached my goal,” she said.
“I always wanted to reach 100 and I know I am going to live for not less than another five years.”
Elaine was showered with gifts in celebration of her big day and many people reminisced about how they had become friends with her and what she means to them.
“It’s nice to be 100, you pass from one century into the next,” a happy Elaine said.
Elaine and her late husband, Cecil, lived in Germiston for many years.
She was a working mother with one child, Marlene O’Reilly.
Marlene, who now lives in Mossel Bay, took Elaine to live there for a time but told the GCN her mother missed her friends too much.
“She hated it, so in 2009 she returned to Germiston and moved in at Protea,” Marlene said.
“Even now when she comes to visit me for the month, she misses her friends terribly.”
Elaine has three grandsons, Mark, Ken and Justin, one granddaughter, Elaine Barr, and seven great-grandchildren.
The grandchildren visit her on a regular basis and take her out on trips.
Marlene said Elaine loves shopping centres and looking at everything in the shops.
“She loves to look at everything and touch the fabrics,” Marlene added.
Elaine was thrilled with her party and loved spending time with her family and friends in celebration of a century on Earth.
Other 100 year birthdays:
