Avis Taylor was a dairy farm owner, and turns 100 on June 6.
Avis Taylor was a dairy farm owner, and turns 100 on June 6.
Three Bay of Islands locals are proud to be turning 100 years old, and all within two months of each other.
Dorethy Sowry and Avis Taylor have lived together at Radius Baycare in Haruru for the past four years, with fellow soon-to-be centenarian Beatrice Warminton joining them in 2020.
Dot, a retired member of the NZ Air Force, turns 100 years old on April 17. Bea, the youngest of five, turns 100 on May 22, and retired dairy farm-owner Avis joins the club on June 6.
Beatrice Warminton is the youngest of five children, and turns 100 on May 22.
Life expectancy for women in New Zealand is 84.1 years.
According to Stats NZ, it can be approximated that there were about 40 centenarians in Northland as of December 2021.
To have three of them marking the occassion together in one place was cause for celebration. And that's just what the team and residents at Radius Baycare put together for Dot, Bea and Avis.
Each were presented with a bouquet of flowers and enjoyed cake, music, balloons, and dancing. They also watched a piano performance, and a dance featuring traditional Māori poi.
Although their lives may currently seem quite similar, their journeys to this point differ considerably.
Dorethy Sowry was a member of the NZ Air Force, and turns 100 on April 17.
Dot, who was in the air force, said travelling the world was her proudest achievement in life.
Dot's advice is to remember that life is what you make it.
"It's up to you if you make your life happy or miserable. Just enjoy it," she said.
Bea is most proud of her beautiful gardens at home, especially the one at Canon Drive which was featured in magazines and open for public viewing.
Bea suggests we "make the most of life and make friends".
Avis, who has three children, 13 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, is proud to have seen all of her family grow up.
Avis' guidance is to "live and enjoy life".
Despite their vastly different experiences of life, they all agreed that reaching 100 years of age was not expected - and that it's just like anything else in life.
