# We celebrated a parishioner's 100th birthday after mass this morning **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 7, 2011, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-celebrated-a-parishioners-100th-birthday-after-mass-this-morning/591794 "2011-08-07T01:40:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-celebrated-a-parishioners-100th-birthday-after-mass-this-morning/591794/1 "2011-08-07T01:40:57Z")
It was quite an event: morning tea with lots of cakes etc, as well as the official messages from the Queen, Governor-General and Prime Minister. The birthday ‘girl’ was pleased as punch. She’s still in remarkably good health and was regaling us with stories from her childhood: the celebrations for the end of WWI; the Spanish flu pandemic. Fascinating stuff. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-celebrated-a-parishioners-100th-birthday-after-mass-this-morning/591794/2 "2011-08-07T02:03:02Z")
Happy birthday, Ms Centenarian. ---
**Author:** ![JoThrive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@JoThrive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoThrive)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-celebrated-a-parishioners-100th-birthday-after-mass-this-morning/591794/3 "2011-08-07T02:09:38Z")
That’s wonderful! Best wishes to the Birthday Girl! I hope I live to be 100 and can then have such a celebration! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-celebrated-a-parishioners-100th-birthday-after-mass-this-morning/591794/4 "2011-08-07T02:21:03Z")
Yeah, Birthday wishes from the Quasis as well! That is some awesome news, something we don’t see much of here on the Dope and something which made me smile! So thanks, **Cunctator**! 🙂 Quasi ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-celebrated-a-parishioners-100th-birthday-after-mass-this-morning/591794/5 "2011-08-07T02:46:13Z")
What a wonderful story! And it’s nice that the birthday girl is still in good health! Does someone have to notify the Queen and others in advance, so the celebrant will get their greeting? A member at my church celebrated his 100th a couple of years ago. He’s still in church on occasion. When he turned 100 the whole congregation sang “Happy Birthday”, accompanied by the big pipe organ in the cathedral! This gentleman became a member when he married, back in the early 40’s. He and his wife were generous to the cathedral over the years, so I imaging when he passes it will be one heck of a funeral. My grandmother is 106, and the oldest member in her church, perhaps in her entire denomination. I hope her church is full when she passes. She can’t get out anymore though, like the lady in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-celebrated-a-parishioners-100th-birthday-after-mass-this-morning/591794/6 "2011-08-07T02:48:32Z")
Any pictures, **Cuncator**? Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-celebrated-a-parishioners-100th-birthday-after-mass-this-morning/591794/7 "2011-08-07T05:09:27Z")
[http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080920&content\_id=3515118&vkey=news\_chc&fext=.jsp&c\_id=chc](http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080920&content_id=3515118&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc) Leo was a friend, and he kept visiting “kids” in retirement homes until the end. And I treasure an afghan made by his SIL shortly before she died. Yeah, I’m a atheist, but it can be nice to have friends. You don’t have to agree with them, and it’s best if you keep your opinions to yourself. Which is good advice for all relationships. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-celebrated-a-parishioners-100th-birthday-after-mass-this-morning/591794/8 "2011-08-07T05:14:00Z")
That’s a terrific story. My best to the celebrant, and I’m happy to hear that she received the good wishes of the Queen, the GG, and the PM. But the opportunity to hear the stories of history from one who lived through them–what a treat! I well remember my own grandmother telling me about such events as the _Titanic_ sinking (at least, from what she read in the papers, and I believe she got to know a survivor in subsequent years), and the Spanish flu epidemic; and a great-uncle, who was in WWI, had all kinds of stories. But nobody in my family ever wrote them down, and I’m kicking myself because I didn’t either. If nobody else is writing down the woman’s stories, **Cunctator** , you should. First-person histories, even from those who did not experience the events, but who were alive when they occurred, are very precious. ETA: **Dropzone** , that’s a great story too. Good for Leo! ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-celebrated-a-parishioners-100th-birthday-after-mass-this-morning/591794/9 "2011-08-07T06:40:35Z")
[QUOTE=Baker] Does someone have to notify the Queen and others in advance, so the celebrant will get their greeting? [/QUOTE] You arrange it all through [your local member of Parliament](http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/anniversary/index.cfm). > [@Spoons](#): > > If nobody else is writing down the woman’s stories, **Cunctator** , you should. I asked her grand-daughter the same question **Spoons** , and apparently the family has been making recordings of the woman’s stories for a number of years now. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-celebrated-a-parishioners-100th-birthday-after-mass-this-morning/591794/10 "2011-08-07T08:31:12Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > I asked her grand-daughter the same question **Spoons** , and apparently the family has been making recordings of the woman’s stories for a number of years now. Good to hear. My own grandmother, who lived to 95, used to regale us all with stories about growing up, her early life, her sea voyage to Australia in the early '20s. I listened, but not attentively. Now I wish I had.