Royal message marks 100 years

New Zealand’s newest 100-year-old, Sylvia Murphy, is the proud holder of one of the last birthday greetings signed by Queen Elizabeth II.

Son Dan Murphy said the message arrived in the post the day before the late monarch’s death, making it rather more poignant.

Daughter-in-law Kathleen Murphy said Sylvia, who grew up in central Taranaki, often read magazines and was aware of what was happening with the Royal Family, and always thought the Queen was ‘‘a nice lady’’.

Sylvia, who turned 100 yesterday, is almost totally deaf, and during a birthday celebration held for her on Friday at Radius Peppertree rest home in Palmerston North, where she now lives, she depended on her son taking his Covid mask off and explaining what people were saying.

Apart from her lack of hearing, she was in great health, not taking any prescription medications at all.

‘‘Her long life mantra is, rise early, eat healthy meals, work hard and care about other people,’’ Dan said.

‘‘She has certainly excelled in all of these.’’

Sylvia Isabel Phillips was born on September 25, 1922, at the family home in Wharehuia, near Midhirst, Stratford.

She is the last survivor of a family of 15 children and grew up to marry sheep farmer Barney Murphy at Meremere, near Hāwera, in 1946.

The couple had five children, and Dan remembers there were always youngsters from the neighbourhood and extended family at the house.

‘‘There was rarely a time when there weren’t extras in the household. Similarly, she was always there for her grandchildren.’’

There were 18 of them.

The couple sold the family farm and retired to Hāwera township, and Barney Murphy died shortly after, in 1978. Dan said that was probably the only time in her life that his mother was lonely.

Sylvia soon became part of the community, and also learnt to play croquet, going on to win many trophies. She became an umpire and was also captain of the Hāwera Croquet Club for many years. She continued to care for others, delivering home-cooked meals to younger elderly women and driving them to appointments.

Sylvia continued to live alone, and was driving her own car, up until she was 95 years old.

At that stage she moved to Pahı¯atua to live with her daughter Geraldine Harvey, moving to Radius Peppertree in October 2019.

According to Statistico, the Queen’s office sent out approximately 307,000 centenary birthday telegrams in the UK during her reign.

A public memorial service for the Queen is taking place at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Powderham St, this morning from 11am.

In Inglewood, a memorial liturgy will be held in the Sacred Heart Parish in Standish St from 10am.