A POSITIVE mindset, regular exercise and sipping on a glass of wine during lunch is 101-year-old Joyce Steadman’s secret to longevity.
The bubbly and energetic Steadman celebrated her 101st birthday on Friday, August 6 with fellow residents at the Pinetown Nursing Home. To mark the celebration, they enjoyed cake and toasted with a glass of champagne.
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Steadman, who is known for brightening up the room with her ‘cool attitude’, wore a pair of leggings and a warm jacket for her birthday celebration, making it difficult to believe she had just turned 101.
“I’m exhausted,” she said as she entered the dining area. “This has been a beautiful birthday, it definitely beat my 100th birthday,” she added with a beautiful smile.
Despite the pandemic, Steadman has coped well during the past year adding that she has outlived chicken pox and the swine flu.
She said she never uses words such as I can’t. “My vocabulary has I can, I will,” said the fitness fanatic.
Steadman was born in Ladysmith. “It was a small town back then. I was born in my home, there were no midwives. I also had my first son in my home,” she said.
She was married to a police detective, Robert Spoor and they were blessed with three boys.
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Her husband died of cancer. “My one son also passed away and I am left with two sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Growing up, Steadman said she enjoyed dancing, roller skating and swimming.
Even though she was a housewife for most of her life Steadman said she did some pearl stringing, “I was called the queen of pearl stringing.”
She advised people to always remain optimistic and never become pessimists.
“People need to be positive and never lose their smile. They must enjoy life and be able to cheer others instead of putting them down.”
Steadman, who enjoys completing crossword puzzles, exercises every morning and said her golden rule is no falling and no breaking of hips.
One thing she enjoys most is her glass of wine. “Wine comes from grapes and grapes are good, it even says so in the Bible,” laughed the kind-hearted Steadman.
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