Aileen Kars, pictured alongside Arvida Olive Tree retirement village manager Robyn Ballard, turns 111 on September 12.
Aileen Kars, pictured alongside Arvida Olive Tree retirement village manager Robyn Ballard, turns 111 on September 12.
She was born the year after the Titanic sank to its watery grave, and a year before the start of a world war that would lay large swathes of Europe to waste and dispatch four empires to the history books.
In the more than a century since, Aileen Kars has lived through a second world war, pandemics that have killed millions and economic shocks from the Great Depression to the Global Financial Crisis.
She’s outlived her husband, one of her two sons and every Prime Minister who served during the first 77 years of her life.
Today, the life-long Manawatū resident celebrates her 111th birthday with afternoon tea for a small group of family and friends, and the opening of her latest royal birthday card, this time from King Charles.
Kars, born in Tokomaru on September 12, 1913, is almost completely deaf and wasn’t able to speak with the Herald.
But the supercentenarian was well aware of her big day, Arvida Olive Tree Village manager Robyn Ballard said.
“When we went to take the photos, she just looked at us and said, ‘You do know it’s not my birthday today, don’t you?’ She absolutely knows what’s going on around her.
“[And] she has a normal diet and knows what she likes and doesn’t like.”
Aileen Kars, with her retirement village wellness partner Deep Brahmbhatt, is expecting another royal card for her 111th birthday on September 12.
Before moving to the Palmerston North retirement village in 1993, Kars was married to husband Les for 54 years, with the couple raising their two sons on a farm.
So there was plenty of physical work in her younger years, including hand-milking cows and riding horses, but despite the hours toiling outdoors, Kars “doesn’t have a line on her face”, longtime friend Jan Cook said.
“She attributes that to Johnson’s Baby Oil. Pretty marvellous for a farmer’s wife outside all the time.”
Kars hasn’t let slip on other secrets to her longevity, but had spoken of a “use everything” approach to cooking in the past and that she’d been fortunate to have had a “wonderful mother and good husband”.
Ballard also noted the oldest of the village’s residents’ stress-reducing approach to each day.
“She’s got this lovely way about her, that life is meant to be a joy.”
Aileen Kars with a picture of herself as a young mother to son Russell.
All Kars’ family live overseas, but two grandchildren had travelled to New Zealand for today’s celebration, Cook said.
“Grandchildren sounds younger, doesn’t it? They’re in their 60s.”
The 111-year-old also has several great- and great-great-grandchildren.
Kars is the oldest person in Oceania, ahead of Australian Ken Weeks, who turns 111 on October 5, according to the US Gerontology Research Group.
More people here and overseas were living past 100, gerontologist Ngaire Kerse said.
“[Over 100] is one of the fastest growing age groups.”
Genetics were 30% to 40% responsible, with lifestyle and luck factoring the rest, Kerse said.
A baby girl born in New Zealand today could expect to live to almost 84 and a boy to 80, although this could be lower or higher depending on ethnicity.
To reach triple figures, and beyond, for someone born soon after the turn of the last century was impressive, the University of Auckland professor said.
“This wonderful woman is doing so well. One hundred and eleven is an exception.”
Cherie Howie is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2011. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in general news and features.
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