Elsie Herriott reached the milestone on October 5 and was elated when she was one of the last in the world to receive a 100th birthday card from the late Queen.
Her 100th birthday was celebrated with several parties with family, friends and fellow residents at the Montecillo Veterans Home and Hospital.
But the celebrations erupted again this week when the centenarian received one of the first birthday cards — albeit, very belatedly — from King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla.
Mrs Herriott (nee Nicholl) said she had never celebrated a single birthday for so long.
‘‘It’s exhausting.’’
‘‘I feel privileged.
‘‘I also feel privileged to reach 100. I didn’t expect to get to 100 — I made it.’’
Mrs Herriott was born in Wyndham and later became a nurse.
She worked at Southland Hospital in Invercargill during World War 2, before going on to become assistant matron at Invercargill’s Peacehaven Retirement Village and then matron at Timaru’s Margaret Wilson Home.
At the same time, she raised three sons and three daughters, who have gone on to provide 11 grandchildren and ‘‘countless’’ great-grandchildren.
‘‘I’ve got no idea how many. I think there’s quite a few great-great-grandchildren here too.’’
She swears hot chocolate ‘‘with an extra teaspoon of sugar’’ was what got her through her long nursing career and to her milestone as a centenarian.
Son Phil Herriott said she was still sharp as a tack and kept very active.
She still loved going out for rides in the car, playing housie, knitting and doing jigsaw puzzles, and she went to his house every weekend for a Sunday roast.
‘‘She’s still enjoying life.’’
