And Eileen cherishes the card she received for her triple-digit milestone on September 3, just six days before the Queen’s death.
“She was a great lady, she’s done a good job,” Eileen said.
But so too has Eileen.
She lives very comfortably and well in her home in the Campaspe Shire, thanks to domestic assistance and physiotherapy provided by her level two home care package through Uniting AgeWell.
“Eileen is pretty remarkable for her age,” her Uniting AgeWell care advisor Deb Jones said.
“And she’s utterly delighted to be able to live independently with a little bit of help from us.”
Indeed. Eileen still cooks a proper dinner for herself every night, often meat and vegetables.
She’s quite aghast at the idea of buying frozen prepared meals.
“Why would I do that when I could cook proper meals for myself?” she said.
Eileen is clearly a dab hand in the kitchen.
She used to regularly whip up fruit cakes, but has had to give it away due to the arthritis in her shoulders.
However, she loves watching TV and keeps in touch with her vast family — five children and scores of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She indulged in some cake and chocolates at her recent birthday bash, but apart from that eats very plain, wholesome food.
And she has never touched a drop of alcohol in her life.
“I’ve worked hard,” she says.
“It’s been a busy, happy life.”
She grew up on a farm in Gobarup in the Campaspe Shire and moved to Rushworth at the age of 21 to work in a knitting factory.
Eileen married farmer Cliff, and they raised their kids and worked their multi-purpose farm in the Rushworth area.
Life was hectic. She juggled raising the kids, taking them to sport, doing the housework and helping out with the sheep and milking.
Some chores were harder than others.
“I used to have to boil the nappies, sheets and towels!” she explained.
“It was quite a process.”
So it’s small wonder Eileen regards the washing machine as the greatest invention during her lifetime.
When the kids moved out, Eileen took up tennis and later bowls. Cliff died in 1996, and Eileen continued working the farm.
Her son now runs the farm, and Eileen stayed on helping him until a few years ago.
And her secret to a long life?
“Hard work!” she laughed.
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