Mercy Place Edgewater resident Ivy Blundell will celebrate her 100th birthday this Friday 16 June surrounded by family and friends who say the centenarian was committed to others throughout her life and still has a wonderful heart.
In a century that’s seen two World Wars, the landing of the man on the moon and a myriad of world-shaping events, Mrs Blundell puts her longevity down to keeping busy and helping others.
Mrs Blundell is a born and bred West Australian, having entered the world in its most isolated city, where she spent most of her life in various outer suburbs, including Osborne Park, Cottesloe and Swanbourne.
She married her husband Albert soon after World War II began on 18 November 1939, after they met while working at a confectionery factory in West Perth.
Albert was later sent to serve in Papa New Guinea and was later discharged from the army on 3 January 1946.
The couple went on to have five children, with one son tragically passing away at birth, and Mrs Blundell now has seven grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
When money was short, she found jobs at a number of schools, where she worked in the kitchen.
Mercy Place Edgewater Service Manager, Helen Fullarton says Mrs Blundell is an inspiring lady who was dedicated to her community as well as her family.
“We know that Ivy did a huge amount of voluntary work throughout her life via her church, including collecting unwanted clothes and washing and ironing them so that they were ready for distribution to the needy,” she says.
“Everyone at Mercy Place Edgewater likes and respects Ivy very much and we’re all delighted that she has reached this major milestone; we’ll be making a big fuss of her on her birthday
“Maintaining good health throughout life is a key factor when it comes to ageing well, but things like staying engaged within the community and maintaining relationships with family and friends are just as important to positive ageing, which we place a strong emphasis on at Mercy Place Edgewater.”
Ivy and Albert had 64 happy years of married life together before Albert passed away in June 2003, aged 88.
Mercy Health is a Catholic community not for profit provider of care, founded by the Sisters of Mercy and grounded in a 2000 year history of caring for those in need. The organisation is a national service provider of health and aged care and in Western Australia, the organisation cares for more than 300 people across six residential homes, with 78 independent living units.