LOOK WHO’S 100
CELEBRATING her 100th birthday at the weekend, Highton woman Jean Looker reflected on her “happy” life.
One of fondest memories is seeing a snow-capped Mount Cook at midnight in the bright moonlight during a trip to New Zealand.
Her tour had been delayed by flooding; bridges had been broken and whenever the party reached a river, they hopped off the bus, grabbed their luggage and made the crossing, “one by one”.
But it was worth it to arrive and see the mountain in the moonlight.
Now, decades later, Jean enjoyed a mountain of wellwishes as she celebrated her 100th birthday on Sunday, with a small gathering of family and friends.
“I’ve been very fortunate,” she said. “I’ve had a very, very happy life.”
Born one of four children, two boys and two girls, Ms Looker spent her formative years on a farm in Corio before the family moved to Newtown in 1925.
She cites her genes as one of the reason’s she’s reached the triple-figure milestone.
“I come from a very longlived family” she told the Addy,
Staying active is another secret of a long life, she says, and Ms Looker was into sport right from the start.
She was a member of the sports team at Geelong High before she got a scholarship to Morongo Presbyterian Girls’ College where she earned her “colours” in tennis, baseball, basketball and running.
This love of sport has continued all her adult life, where Ms Looker continued playing tennis, and added badminton to her repertoire. She and her partner, Betty Lawrie, won the A-Grade badminton doubles in 1956, although Ms Looker is modest in her part.
“I’m not some brilliant player, but my partner was the Geelong champion,” she said.
Ms Looker kept playing both sports right up to her retirement aged 63. Looking back on her life she remains humble.
“I’m just a very ordinary person who has lived a very long time.”