A “never give up attitude” and a healthy lifestyle may just be the key to longevity says Wide Bay aged care resident, Bearl Connor, who celebrates her 100th birthday today.
Lilian Bearl Connor (known as Bearl) was born on February 28th, 1923 and was raised on a dairy farm at Etna Creek in Central Queensland with her three brothers.
She has been a resident at Anglicare Southern Queensland’s Kirami Residential Aged Care home in Hervey Bay for the past two years and, up until the age of 98, was living independently in her own home.
Bearl says she was a hard worker on the family farm and this strong work ethic remained throughout her life. She loved milking cows – up to 42 on her own.
Her daughter, Fay said her mum joined the VAD detachment in 1939 and did voluntary work for the Red Cross while still working on the farm.
“The VAD worked for a day at the Orion Café in Rockhampton to aid Red Cross and the owner was so impressed with Bearl’s work ethic, he offered her a job,” she said.
Her love of dancing led her to meet husband, Kevin Connor, at the Palais Royale in Rockhampton. He slid across the dance floor to ask her friend to dance and as he reached her, out came Bearl.
Kevin and Bearl later married and had two children – Fay and Denis. Kevin worked at the Courthouse and later for Solicitor Rees R and Sydney Jones and Bearl was a homemaker. Bearl was a wonderful dressmaker and would sew for family and friends, even making a number of wedding dresses.
With no driver’s license, Bearl rode a bicycle all over Rockhampton.
Bearl recalls family holidays being spent at nearby Keppel Sands enjoying music, singing, dancing and games with their group of friends “the Flying Fox Gang”.
Devastatingly, Bearl’s husband Kevin suffered a heart attack and died at the age of 45 which left her to face the harsh realities of life as a single mother. Fortunately, Denis was still living with her and was a great support.
In 1974, Bearl moved to Yeppoon to live next door to her ageing parents on Meikleville Hill. As well as caring for them, she embraced her new lifestyle and became a volunteer for a large number of organisations including Meals on Wheels, the Wednesday Club, Blue Nurses plus escorting children for the Bush Children’s Home. She continued a long involvement with the Country Women’s Association (CWA), joined a choral group, joined U3A and continued her passion for bridge.
Denis and his wife Lois and Fay and Reville were an integral part of her life as were granddaughter Jacinda and great grandchildren Sean and Jessica.
With an adventurous spirit, Bearl enjoyed travelling and there is little of Australia that she hasn’t visited.
At the age of 79, she travelled by 4wd across the Simpson Desert with a group of younger friends and says she loved it.
On her 80th birthday, her son Denis accompanied her on her first helicopter flight on the Gold Coast.
Bearl was still driving until the age of 90 when she decided to hand in her driver’s license and car. She would catch the train to visit Fay in Brisbane and then Hervey Bay and Denis in Brisbane, Laidley and later the Gold Coast well into her late 90s.
At the age of 98, she moved from her home at Yeppoon to Hervey Bay where Fay and Reville live and began a new phase of her life at Anglicare Southern Queensland’s Kirami Residential Aged Care home. Bearl’s family regularly visit her at Kirami.
Her whole family will be present for her 100th birthday lunch today, which will be celebrated at Fay and Reville’s home at Nikenbah.
On March 1st, Fraser Coast Regional Council plant a Centenary Tree in the Botanical Gardens at Urangan to recognise Bearl’s 100th birthday.
Daughter, Fay, believes the secret to her mum’s long life is her “adaptability and stoicism.”
“It may be that she has come from a long living family and has never drunk or smoked,” she said.
“Her family believe it is a lot to do with her adaptability and stoicism… her “never give up attitude.
“No matter what life has thrown at her, she has never complained… just picked herself up and got on with life. We are all so very proud of her.”
