"I couldn't believe the grass was so green," she marvelled.
Daughter Maureen said Ida was always going to reach 100.
"It has been the thing she was going to do."
Ida, who was one of seven children to John and Alice Brennan, was born in Poro-o-tarao, a small place between Te Kuiti and Taumaranui.
She left school early to do hotel housekeeping and waitress work, railway station work, as well as housekeeping in a private residence.
Ida met John Wilson and the pair would marry after a few years later in the Ngaruawahia Catholic Church on September 16, 1939 at 11am; Ida was 23 and Jack was 30.
"I liked him because he could sing and dance."
A lot of her life was spent in Ngaruawahia, in the Waikato, where the couple had six children - Bob, Ray, Maureen, Carmen, Brendan and Peter.
"She devoted her life to us kids," Carmen said.
Sadly John, a stock agent, died in 1971 after a stroke, which saw Ida move to 7 Broadway, Ngaruawahia, before moving to Paraparaumu nearly 20 years ago.
Ida, who has 27 grandchildren, 69 great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren, has enjoyed gardening, knitting, sewing, playing tennis and lawn bowls, to community involvement where she was a Lioness as well as a church organist.
Playing the piano has been her go-to activity for relaxation.
"Two things I think she has taught all of us is the importance of family and hospitality," Maureen said.
"Family and hospitality have been her life."
