Joan Peterson turns 103
The attendance of a great great granddaughter was the literal icing on the cake at the recent 103rd birthday party for Warragul resident Joan Peterson.
Although COVID-19 restrictions prevented some descendants travelling from interstate Mrs Peterson had plenty of well-wishers at the celebration late last month.
Staff at the Warragul Downtower, where the party was held and where Mrs Peterson and a group of friends attended weekly for Morning Melodies and lunch over many years, made sure the occasion didn’t go unnoticed.
Mrs Peterson has lived in Warragul for about 40 years and still lives independently in a granny flat at the home of her daughter and son-in-law Lyn and Ray Earl.
While not quite as sprightly as in the past she keeps busy with knitting for family members, rarely misses her hairdressing appointments each week and at times attends church.
Mrs Peterson is a proud former member of the Women’s Auxiliary Australia Air Force during World War II and is a member of the Warragul RSL and Central Gippsland legacy.
Widowed some 30 years ago she heads a lineage of five generations.
Her first and, to date, only great great grandchild, Ava, who is soon to have her first birthday is the latest addition.
Mrs Peterson has a daughter and two sons with the family tree now extending to 10 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren and great great granddaughter Ava.
Her birthday party was only the second chance she’d had to meet Ava, the first meeting fortunately just before COVID travel restrictions came into force.
Mrs Peterson puts her longevity down to keeping busy, taking each day as it comes and an attitude of “you’re not old until you say you’re old”.