“Take good care of yourself daily and don’t sweat the small stuff”.
That’s the sage advice from Dorothea (Jean) Harden to living a successful life after celebrating her 100th birthday at Uniting Koombahla Elermore Vale this month.
The centenarian, the second local resident to reach the milestone in the past fortnight after Walter Searle at Uniting Irwin Hall in Mayfield, was born on 31 July 1921 to Arthur and Lillian Gilbert.
They lived in Mayfield, along with her brother Ronald who was 14 months younger than her.
Years later, Jean met and married Lesley James Mattingley and had one child, Janece, and adopted a son, Allen.
She has one grandson, Martin, too.
They grew up in the family home in William Street, Tighes Hill.
Jean was a seamstress and worked in a factory in Newcastle.
“She’s a popular resident at Uniting Koombahla Elermore Vale” a spokesperson said.
“Jean, as she loves to be known, enjoys bingo, reading and knitting.
“She is an exceptional cook and states the best job she could have had was being a housewife.”
A resident within Uniting since 2004, Jean marked the occasion with a party on Friday 30 July.
And, she was certainly the centre of attention, after receiving accolades from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition leader Anthony Albanese, as well as letters of congratulations NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Lord Mayor of Newcastle Nuatali Nelmes.
There were many gifts from staff and residents for Jean and, of course, a big cake.
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