‘I’ve lived my life the way I wanted’ says centenarian Mrs Dorothy Herbert

To celebrate her 100th birthday, Mrs Dorothy Herbert, a resident of Resthaven Marion is heading out to lunch at West Lakes with family and friends.

‘We had a party earlier this year as well,’ Dorothy laughs. ‘My daughter Kathy wanted to make sure I had a celebration – just in case I didn’t make the big one. It’s so nice that they are making a fuss!’

Dorothy was born on 30 June 1924. Her family lived at Glenelg, and she had a brother who was 11 months younger than her. Dorothy’s father was part of the Light Horse Brigade who fought in World War I.

‘He was a very quiet man,’ Dorothy says. ‘He came out of the army and opened a tailoring business. After a while the business closed, but he found work with a different tailor.’

As a young woman, Dorothy decided she wanted to be a hairdresser.

‘My mother walked with me along Jetty Road at Glenelg to visit the salons,’ Dorothy says. ‘We went into the first salon to ask about work and the owner said they had just hired a young girl, so they didn’t have anything for me. I was downhearted, but my mother looked at me and said, “There are more salons on this road, let’s try another”.’

At the second salon, Dorothy was given a job. ‘I was overjoyed!’ she says.

Sadly, when Dorothy was 19, her mother passed away.

‘It was a terrible time,’ Dorothy says. ‘I didn’t even know how to boil an egg. My mother was a lovely lady, and when she died, I spent a lot of time with friends who helped me to feel better. Dad was a good man, and he did all of the washing and ironing. We managed.’

‘I still think of my mother a lot though,’ Dorothy says. ‘She was very ladylike and had a good sense of right and wrong.’

Around this same time, Dorothy met her husband-to-be, Brian, whom she called Len.

‘We met doing ballroom dancing at a place on Grenfell Street,’ Dorothy says. ‘I used to love to dance.’

Len was a widower with a little boy of his own, David.

‘I liked children, and babies in particular,’ Dorothy says. ‘I decided that this little boy should grow up with a mother, so Len and I married, and we took care of him.’

Dorothy was married on March 20, 1948, at St Peter’s Chapel, and the following year in April her eldest child, Helen, was born. Two years later Roger was born, then Stephen.

Dorothy and her husband moved to the Riverland where Len worked as a handyman and Dorothy took care of the home and the children. For a time, she worked in a factory in the Riverland and also did some picking for the grape harvest.

‘I knew that I wanted another baby,’ Dorothy says. ‘I was hoping for another girl who would be a friend for Helen, but I would have been happy with either a boy or a girl. From the moment I got pregnant I knew I wanted this baby.’

Dorothy’s wishes were answered and a girl, Kathy, was born.

‘They’ve been good kids,’ Dorothy says.

Sadly, a family tragedy occurred when Dorothy’s youngest son, Stephen was riding home on his bicycle one night and was killed in a hit-and-run accident.

‘He was my premmie baby who grew up to be a big, tall man, but sadly he died too young,’ Dorothy says. ‘It was a very sad time for us all.’

Later life

Dorothy moved back to the city, living in a small unit by herself in later life at Jacaranda Grove, Oaklands Park. The street was lined with Jacaranda trees.

‘They had such beautiful flowers,’ Dorothy says. ‘I remember the streets being awash with purple.’

Dorothy moved into Resthaven Marion around four years ago.

‘I was feeling uncomfortable using the oven and the stove at home and was worried I was going to have an accident,’ Dorothy says. ‘I knew it was going to be different moving in here, but I’m very happy.’

‘When I think about coming home, I think about coming back here. This is my home. I feel very comfortable.’

When asked to reflect on her fortune of reaching 100, Dorothy says she’s had some ‘good luck’.

‘I’ve always had good health,’ Dorothy says. ‘I never had time to be sick – there was always washing and ironing to do and getting the kids to school. My life has been full of ups and downs, but we all do the best we can with what we are given.’

‘I’ve lived my life the way I wanted,’ Dorothy says. ‘And no one can ask for more than that.’

Happy 100th birthday Dorothy! We hope you enjoy the celebrations!