Mrs Cooper celebrates a century
Myrtle Cooper loves rugby, netball and a glass of wine with her home cooked dinner. That may be why she’s still smiling at 100 years old.
She celebrated the milestone on Tuesday, with friends and family, but she’s a tad hard on herself saying she’s slowed down a bit. Mrs Cooper, who gave up her drivers licence a few years ago, said she still feels active and independent enough.
She enjoys knitting socks for her family, getting out in the garden (which is immaculate), and watching the All Blacks play.
On the big day, letters arrived from Queen Elizabeth, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, the Governor General, and many other family and friends. ‘‘It means a great lot actually. It makes me think.’’
Her letter from the prime minister was special because it was hand written, saying that Ardern wished her a happy celebration on her milestone day.
Born on August 28, 1918, Mrs Cooper said the key to being happy at 100 was to ‘‘take each day at a time’’.
‘‘I wake up each morning and I’m still here, I should do something with my day.’’
In her last visit to the doctor she remembered her doctor saying, ‘‘you’ve still got all your marbles’’.
Although she is less active now, Mrs Cooper said she felt like she was only 80 in her mind.
‘‘If it wasn’t for my knees I’d still be running about.’’
Dianne Wisely, one of Mrs Cooper’s three daughters, said her mum was still the person she turned to for advice.
‘‘She still gives us advice, I’ll ring her and say ‘I’m baking something and can’t get it right’ and she’ll know what I’m doing wrong,’’ Wisely said.
While in her early 90s, Mrs Cooper decided to complete her bucket list.
The first thing she did was ride in a helicopter around Southland in 2011.
‘‘Her next big target is to live her life out at home, and not to make it to an old folk’s home,’’ Wisely said.