Laughter the key ingredient
Simple living, lots of laughter and loving your family are Maureen Channon’s tips for hitting 100.
The Evelyn Page Retirement Village resident in Orewa celebrated the milestone on Monday.
She was born in Auckland and grew up in Mt Albert where she was one of the founding students at Marist Sisters College, now Marist College, in 1928.
Maureen became a seamstress at Ross and Glendenning in Auckland, then a homemaker after she got married, sewing men’s ties from home in her spare time.
Maureen met husband Jack in 1923 at the ‘‘Mighty Fine’’ dance hall in Newmarket, and the two married five years later.
Jack worked on the railways and married life began in a rail house in Okahukura, Taranaki.
Maureen’s mum died in 1949 and she and Jack returned to her Mt Albert family home to be housekeeper for her dad and the younger three siblings.
Soon after they moved to Bannerman Rd in Mt Albert where they lived for 40 years.
Jack had started as a guard in the railways, and then became the yardmaster of the busy Auckland Railway yard until he retired in 1975. He then worked for the BNZ in Queen Street as caretaker, odd jobs man, and chauffeur.
The two moved to Orewa 20 years ago and were married 72 years when Jack died.
They moved to a brand new house in their early 80s and proceeded to dig flower gardens all over the property.
Maureen never sat still, dedicating her time as a talented
dress maker to those she loved, knitting and sewing or cooking for her children, grand-children, then great-grand-children.
Maureen says her secret to longevity is very little processed foods, no smoking and hardly any alcohol. But the key ingredient is laughter, she says.
It was also the key ingredient to her 72 year marriage with Jack, she says.
They would have their ups and downs like any married couple, but after things were resolved they would laugh.
Like the time Jack lost his St John Ambulance necklace alarm, she says.
The house was turned upside down looking for it, then Maureen found she was wearing two.
They laughed and laughed. Forgiveness and laughter, Maureen credits. And their strong Catholic faith.