Betty Farish turned 100 this month and celebrated with a lavender themed party at Athenree Life. Photos / Supplied
Betty Farish turned 100 this month and celebrated with a lavender themed party at Athenree Life. Photos / Supplied
Betty Farish never says a bad word about anyone. Ever.
''I literally have never heard her say one negative word,'' says son-in-law Tom O'Flaherty. ''She only ever sees the good in people. I've also never seen her angry.''
The positive-minded Betty became a centenarian last week.
Athenree Life friends and staff celebrated with a high tea, cake, a fun quiz about her life, a letter from the Queen read out and everyone wore Betty's favourite colour lavender.
The party continued at the weekend celebrating with 70 friends and family at Waihi RSA.
Tom says Betty lived independently right until age 97 before moving to Athenree Life.
''She sharp as a tack. She's a worker — she just didn't stop, she'd come over here and before you know it she'd be doing the ironing and wanting to do our dishes.''
Betty Brodie was born on May 9, 1922 to a dairy farming family in Morrinsville. She had three brothers and a twin sister.
Betty Brodie and twin sister Maisie in their teens.
The family moved to another dairy farm at Waihi in 1931. The siblings walked a seven kilometre round-trip on metal roads to school.
Her first job was a demanding one working as a cook at Waihi Hospital. Betty never learnt how to drive. Instead, she biked 10 kilometres to work every day.
That's where she met future husband Joe who was laid up in a hospital bed after a bad motorcycle accident for six months.
''He couldn't escape,'' Tom jokes.
Betty and Joe married in 1944.
The couple set up the business Waitete Foundry in Waihi in1945 which they ran for 30 years and employed many locals in that time.
The big day for Betty and Joseph Farish in 1944.
They moved into a house opposite the fire station where Betty indulged in her love of gardening — winning an urban garden award for three years in a row.
They had daughters Mary and Joyce (and have six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren) and Betty was always involved, especially when it came to school netball.
She was also passionate about knitting and sewing.
The lavender-themed celebration at Athenree Life was a beautiful day for Betty, although she said she hadn't wanted a ''big fuss''.
