Her eldest daughter, Natasha Geraghty, entered her mum in the competition.
"She didn't tell me until it was in the paper. She said, 'Look at you, you're in the paper'," Mrs Fellows said. "When she first told me we had a giggle over it. She said, 'Oh, don't worry. It won't happen'."
Ms Geraghty said her mother, who also had seven grandchildren and five step-grandchildren, had been a huge help and support when she gave birth to her own twins.
"Having twins is hard work and she's been so great. She is always helping us out with the children. I'm definitely glad she won because she really, really deserves it. I cannot stress enough how much she has helped me with the kids. She helps everyone."
Ms Geraghty said her father died in a car accident 10 years ago but her mother had since remarried, expanding the family further with their four step-siblings. "I think it's great that she won. There's six of us. I'm the eldest, I just turned 28. The two youngest are twins, they've just turned 16.
"She's very busy. She works at the Bernina Sewing Centre. She has got two kids left at home. She doesn't really get a lot of free time. She never actually spends money on herself. This will be great. I'll make sure she spends it on herself."
Mrs Fellows said she "desperately" needed shoes and would use some of the prize money to buy a new pair.
"I'm just so honoured to have this. It's so cool."
Bay of Plenty Times classified sales manager Tara Childs said Mrs Fellows was a humble and deserving winner.
The competition had been a huge success, with more than 100 entries.
