Una Cafra celebrated her 105th birthday at Ron Andrews Nursing Home, Pakenham last Wednesday. 73567
By Lilly O’Gorman
MANY were excited when it was 11/11/11, but Una Cafra had seen it all before – albeit a century ago.
The once-in-a-lifetime event turned out to be twice as good the second time around for Una, when she celebrated her 105th birthday at Ron Andrews Nursing Home last Wednesday.
The impressive milestone deserved nothing less than a special ‘This Is Your Life’ styled party, organised by Ron Andrews Nursing Home activities manager Tracey Van Roy.
Ms Van Roy read from a booklet made especially for the occasion that detailed Mrs Cafra’s life history as well as photographs.
“She is an inspirational person – she still tells a great story, and is interesting to have a chat to. She still has very good recollections of her past,” Ms Van Roy said.
And Mrs Cafra was ready with many stories on the morning of her birthday, including tales of hardship.
“We were rationed during World War I; you didn’t know what a potato was,” she said.
She also remembers the highest wage she ever received – one pound a week.
Una was born in Coventry, England, in 1906, and she lived just outside Birmingham.
In 1924 when Una was 18, she decided to move to Australia, travelling for seven weeks and four days by boat.
Once in Australia, she had several different jobs, in factories manufacturing golf balls and bikes, milking cows, and as a shop assistant.
It was while working in a bakery as a pastry chef that she met her husband Vincenzo; a World War I veteran and potato farmer.
They married at a registry office in Brunswick on 12 December 1931 and after spending some years in Fitzroy, moved to Vervale.
They had a daughter named Edith followed by a son Victor, both born at the Bunyip hospital and their second son Bill arrived at Pakenham hospital.
Vincenzo died at the Pakenham hospital in January 1976. In 1981, the Cafras moved to Main Street, Pakenham. Bill married Pam and had one son named Darren.
Edith and Victor lived with Una until she came into Ron Andrews Nursing home just after her 100th birthday.
Una decided to come to Ron Andrews Nursing Home, which used to be the Pakenham hospital.
She said it felt right that she came to the same place where her husband died.
Una’s son Victor, now 73, attended the celebration, and her daughter Edith, 78 and now a fellow resident at Ron Andrews Nursing Home, sat smiling by her side.
