With a few of her favourite things, music, dancing and a special guest — Socks the pony — the 100-year-old belied her age as about 50 family and friends, staff and residents feted Mrs Jenkins at Palmerston’s Paramount Healthcare yesterday.
When asked her secret to a long life, Mrs Jenkins said "playing the piano every morning, travelling and lots of dancing".
All the attention of her birthday celebrations had "overwhelmed" the animal lover.
"I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve it," she said modestly.
"I hope to reach the next one."
Mrs Jenkins also enjoyed watching some line dancing to mark her special day — music is in the blood.
Her father, David Stevenson Sharp, originally from England, was a composer.
Dunedin-born, Mrs Jenkins lived in the city her "whole life" before moving into care in Palmerston two years ago, where her only grandson lives.
Her daughter Marilyn Muir said she had been a "lovely mum" who had always been steadfast and true.
"She was always there after school, very supportive. She loved Christmas ... She did our birthdays and Christmas and she’s the one that really made life really happy."
Mrs Muir said her mother had been an "amazing homemaker", who loved baking, sewing, painting and gardening.
Her creative talent was useful during World War 2, when as a young woman she worked as a seamstress.
That interest had continued throughout her long life — a testament being a life-size teddy bear she had made now on display at the National Transport and Toy Museum in Wānaka.
"She was really proud of those because they were so much bigger than her and she struggled with them," Mrs Muir said.
After her two children were born, Mrs Jenkins had worked for the Abernethy picture framing company, at the corner of George St and Moray Pl in Dunedin.
She had also worked as a caretaker at Dunedin’s Knox College, where she was held in "high esteem".
Paramount Healthcare activities co-ordinator Emma Greaves said the very independent Mrs Jenkins was a joy.
"She’s just the most loveliest person. She gets around by herself ... She still wears high heels every day."
A pint size at 1.47m, she was regarded for her big heart and sense of adventure.
Sylvia Clarkson said her aunty had always had a "zest for life".
That had included travelling to Australia with the Dunedin-based group Sukyo Mahikari, a Japanese organisation to help people improve their lives and attain happiness in a method called the art of true light, that included dancing.
