By Natalee Kerr
A love for gardening, the outdoors and nature could be the secret to living to 100, based on one great-grandmother’s milestone.
Lois Nugent, the wife of a former Geelong pub operator recently celebrated her centenary and her daughter Rosemary thinks there are some standout reasons to her longevity.
“Mum has always lived a healthy lifestyle; she was very sporty, she ate well and was never a smoker or a drinker,” Rosemary said.
“She was a very talented gardener, she loved the outdoors and nature which I think has contributed to her long life too.”
Lois comes from a string of Geelong connections, her father was born locally, her great-uncle was a successful Geelong businessman and her grandfather was a principal at the old Matthew Flinders School.
The mother-of-five moved from Melbourne to Geelong in the late 1940s with her late husband Jim – a licensee of Geelong’s Carrington Hotel for almost three decades.
Rosemary said her mum “held the fort” at their Newtown home while also helping at the hotel.
“Mum raised us kids and did a lot of things behind the scenes.”
Lois relocated back to Melbourne after Jim passed away in 1988, living independently until age 92.
Nowadays the passionate Geelong Cats fan resides at a nursing home where she tunes into every game and participates in footy tipping.
Lois celebrated her 100th birthday last February with about 50 family and friends.
Rosemary said her mum has always been “coy about her age” and felt “overwhelmed” on the day.
“Growing up she wouldn’t tell us her age, insisting at each birthday that she was 21.”
“We told her earlier this year she was turning 100 and after several minutes convincing her it was true, she said we were not to tell anyone.”
