Mildred “Millie” Andrew celebrated her 103rd birthday on Australia Day, making her – it is believed – Hobsons Bay’s oldest resident.
Born and raised in Williamstown before moving to Benetas St George’s in Altona Meadows, Mrs Andrew said her life was wonderful.
The grandmother of two, who three years ago received an OAM for service to children with disabilities, said she had two rules.
“One rule is, I never take worries to bed,” Mrs Andrew said. “I’ve got a curtain that I put across my mind as soon as I get into bed.
“And the other one is, I’ve been going to bed regularly around about half past seven for years and years and years, so I have a good long sleep every night.”
Mrs Andrew was a carer and manager at the former Footscray Spastic Children’s Centre from 1953 to ’72, and helped raise funds for the Scope Chislon centre in Maidstone – for people with multiple disabilities and high support needs – where she was a carer for more than 20 years.
“I haven’t been lucky, I’ve been blessed,” she said. “I’ve had a good life, God has blessed me with good health. I’ve only been in hospital once in my life – just overnight.”
She cites the Great Depression of the 1930s as the worst experience of her life.
“I was always hungry, I never had enough food,” she said. “But I’ve had good experiences.”
