REACHING 100 years of age is an impressive milestone, but one of SA’s most recent centenarians, Margaret Gardiner, makes it even more remarkable as she still lives independently.
And while most people hitting the ton celebrate with a cake and family gathering, Margaret splashed out and had a pool party.
A regular at Seaford indoor pool, where she attends aqua classes every week, Margaret combines a commitment to keeping physically active with a love of life and a positive nature – all of which contribute to her longevity.
“I just love life and there is nothing more I want or need,” she said.
“The best part (about reaching 100) is I’m feeling quite well. I’m feeling really good.”
Margaret grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland, left school at 14 and worked in a hosiery factory until World War II broke out.
“There was a social club 10 minutes’ walk from work and I spent all my leisure time there. We used to swim and play tennis and on weekends we would go bike riding and hiking. We were always active,” she said.
At 41 Margaret moved to Australia with her husband and three children. Today one of her daughters lives next door and checks on her regularly. She also has help with her cleaning and washing and one of her grandchildren does her gardening.
Nowadays, she doesn’t get out much on her own other than to take a short walk along her street.
In her younger years she loved roller skating and won all the mothers’ races when her children were school-aged. But swimming has always been her first love.
Margaret is well known at Seaford pool. “I have a fun time. All the women are so nice and I have been going to the classes every week for the past seven years and have hardly ever missed it.”
It’s clear one of Margaret’s greatest joys in life is her family, who include not only her three children but seven grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren, the youngest of whom has just started school.
She was married to Jimmy for 73 years before he died eight years ago.
