When Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan heard Mrs Butler had never attended a citizenship ceremony he thought "that won't do".
He invited her to attend yesterday's Central Otago citizenship ceremony, where Mrs Butler received a "reaffirmation" of her citizenship in front of her husband, council representatives and other new citizens and their families.
It was lovely, Mrs Butler said. She had always felt she had missed out on something by not attending a formal ceremony to acknowledge her New Zealand citizenship.
Originally from England, Mrs Butler had a tumultuous start to life - her mother was giving birth on the kitchen table as her father and uncle were putting out a fire in their north London house when it was bombed in a World War 2 air raid.
Mrs Butler and her parents emigrated to New Zealand in 1948.
Mrs Butler met her future husband, Rory Butler, at school in Christchurch. They married in 1966 and eventually retired to Springvale, near Alexandra. They have three children and seven grandchildren.
Mr Cadogan said it was wonderful to say "welcome again" to Mrs Butler at the citizenship ceremony, at which nine people, from Chile, India, Samoa and the United Kingdom, were made New Zealand citizens.
Mr Cadogan thanked them for choosing New Zealand as their new country, adding: "all New Zealanders have come from somewhere; the only difference is where and when".
