Norman Dickie says his secrets for a long and fruitful life are not smoking and avoiding playing rugby.
The Gore man, who was born at the family farm at Croydon Siding 100 years ago on Sunday, still lives in his own home with his sons Grant and Ross.
When asked about his secret to long life he was quick to answer.
"The secret is I'm a non-smoker, but the big thing is I did not play rugby football. If I did I would have been dead 40 years ago,'' Mr Dickie said.
He was healthy and felt like he did when he was 50, he said.
He is the oldest member of St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, where he is a regular at Sunday services.
However, his first bid to become a member of the church did not run smoothly, Mr Dickie said.
He applied for membership in 1968 but said something to offend the minister of the time, resulting in his application being turned down.
It was not until 1992 that he was accepted.
During his lifetime he had witnessed massive changes, including in the area of technology.
In 1925, electricity was connected at the family's Croydon farm.
"That was a great thing,'' he said.
Other changes followed with the start of rural delivery and a telephone being connected, he said.
Television was a mixed blessing. "I watch the news at night and the odd documentary.''
As for the rest, he was not interested.
Mr Dickie enlisted in the army during World War 2 and attended elementary training but did not serve overseas.
The dropping of an atomic bomb on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945, signalled the end of the war and the possibility of overseas service for Mr Dickie.
He described rationing during war as a bit of a bugbear.
He and his late wife, Gladys, were married in 1959 and he retired from the farm in 1991.
"I'd been 74 years on the farm. I reckoned it was time I threw the sponge in.''
St Andrew's Presbyterian Church pastor the Rev John Mathew said Mr Dickie attended church every Sunday and sat at the front of the church.
Mr Dickie often did not make it to the start of the service and so he went through the notices while waiting for Mr Dickie to take his place before starting the service, Dr Mathew said.
Mr Dickie is about to embark on a weekend of celebrations including a visit to the former family farm on Saturday and a dinner that evening.
On Sunday, a special church service will be held, where hymns chosen by Mr Dickie will be sung and lessons will be read by his sons.
After the service there will be a get-together and in the afternoon a concert will be held.
