Pat with three of her great-grandchildren; Frankie ,11, Zander, 14, and Blake Manson, 8. Photo / Stephanie Saxton
Pat with three of her great-grandchildren; Frankie ,11, Zander, 14, and Blake Manson, 8. Photo / Stephanie Saxton
Pat Harwood turned 100 on October 24, and she celebrated her birthday with family at Whangamata, some of whom had travelled vast distances to be present.
Over her long life, Pat and her late husband Keith farmed in Athenree, cropping strawberry plants and onions. Keith was also a school busdriver. The couple came to to the town as newlyweds in 1946 and were well-respected members of the community. They moved to Tauranga in 1979, and since March 2020, Pat has lived a stone's throw from her original home in Athenree - a place she says is her favourite, although she loves all of the Bay of Plenty.
Pat is proud of her Scottish heritage. Pat's father, David Ogilvy, was from Kirriemuir, Scotland, and came to New Zealand in his late teens to live with one of his uncles, who was based in Leamington. He married Agnes Shearer, who was from Hawera. On her special day, Pat wore her sash of Ogilvy hunting tartan as a nod to her ancestry.
Pat keeps excellent health without any medications. Her only "meds" are mānuka honey, dark peppermint chocolate and crystalised ginger.
The death of Queen Elizabeth II meant Pat's letter of congratulations had to be composed by her daughter-in-law Lorna Harwood, who said she turned the communique into an "unofficial letter from the Queen, which was more of a 'this is your life' letter for her." The letter was read aloud at her birthday party.
Pat's two sons Robbie and Peter shared their love and appreciation for their mum with three of Pat's grandchildren who flew from overseas for the special event - Hayley from Canada, Luke from the USA and Cory from Australia. Pat has nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Lorna said she has subsequently been able to apply for an official letter from King Charles, which should arrive in the next few weeks. Pat was very fond of the Queen and distinctly remembers the day Princess Elizabeth was born - Pat was four years old at the time.
According to Lorna, Pat's favourite part of her birthday celebrations was just being together with most of her family - especially the three grandchildren who travelled to be with her on the day. Only one granddaughter, in Canada, couldn't be there. Each of her nine grandchildren wrote their own special memories of Granny Pat, which were presented to her on the day and which she took great delight in.
