FAMILY and friends from up and down the country celebrated a great-grandmother reaching an impressive milestone birthday.
Ela Vicary was surrounded by her loved ones – some who travelled all the way from America – for her 100th birthday celebrations at Heckfield Memorial Hall, in Church Lane, Hook.
The mother of three daughters, who also has five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, turned 100 on January 13 and marked the special occasion with a celebration lunch and opening her birthday cards, including one from The Queen.
Born in Liverpool, Ela has fond memories of exploring the outdoors with her father growing up.
She said: “My father loved going on long walks, and I remember before Sunday lunch he would take us out and teach us all the names of the different trees, and correct us if we got one wrong.”
Ela enjoyed working as a telephone operator ‘Hello Girl’ before meeting her late husband Peter whilst on holiday in Wales.
As the wife of an RAF Air Commodore, Ela and her husband often travelled.
“As an Airforce wife you get to see different parts of the world, meet different people and hear their stories,” she said.
“I have had a wonderful life, I like people and I have a good capacity for enjoyment and I think that is the balance everyone is looking for.”
For the last three years Ela has lived in Mattingley, Hook with her daughter Vivienne Alexander who said her mother’s 100th birthday was “absolutely fantastic.”
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