Turning 100 is a milestone few people reach, and for River Pines Retirement Living resident Ellen Gunston, the occasion has been marked with gratitude, family memories and community celebration.
Born on February 22, 1926, in Stratford, London, Ms Gunston has lived through a century of global change. She was just 14 when the Second World War began and remembers the constant drone of bombers overhead, spending many nights sheltering during air raids.
Her children Phil and Karen said reaching the milestone still feels remarkable for the family.
“It’s amazing she’s made it so long,” Phil said. “With all the aches and pains and medicines people take as they get older, it’s just amazing.”
Ms Gunston married her husband John in 1944, one of the happiest periods she recalls, alongside past Christmas celebrations and the births of her children.
Phil said their mother remained devoted to her family throughout their childhood.
“She was a very good mother,” he said. “Even when she worked, she was always there for us when we came home from school, cooking nice meals and looking after us.”
Karen added that even now, family traditions continue.
“She still cooks me cakes and apple crumble,” she said.
During the war years, Ms Gunston worked in the women’s workforce preparing ammunition crates for troops, growing up amid bombings and uncertainty in wartime England.
“That was her teenage life,” Phil said. “She lived through the Blitz with bombs coming down and people running for safety.”
Now celebrating her 100th birthday, Ms Gunston said she feels “very happy, delighted, and grateful” to reach the milestone.
She credits her long life to maintaining a vegetarian lifestyle and keeping a positive outlook. Her advice to younger generations is to read widely, live healthily, and treat yourself and others with respect.
Ms Gunston moved to Western Australia in 1978 and has been part of the River Pines community since 1994, where she is well known among residents and neighbours.
Friend and neighbour Beba Grigor described her as kind, caring and always ready for a laugh, adding that she remains exceptionally alert and enjoys good conversation.
During her time at River Pines, Ms Gunston regularly volunteered in the neighbouring Multiple Sclerosis kitchen preparing food and taking part in village activities and events.
These days, she continues to enjoy music, reading, watching YouTube and films, welcoming visitors and going out for lunch with friends.
Those close to her say celebrating her 100th birthday is a special moment for everyone around her.
“Reaching 100 is a rare privilege, and it is an honour for all of us to share the company of a centenarian,” Beba said.
A gathering of family, friends and neighbours was held to mark the occasion on Monday, February 23, celebrating a life that has spanned generations, from wartime London to a long-standing place within the local community.
