A wonderful century: Ada Werner turns 100 with friends and family by her side

Her children Jeff, Christopher, David, and Helen were all in attendance for the birthday get-together, along with a number of Ada’s grandchildren and great grandchildren.

So what is Ada’s secret to longevity?

“Maintain a positive attitude and live by two rules: count your blessings and treat people how you would like to be treated,” she said.

“And always have a good breakfast.”

Ada was born at the family home in Prahran on March 31, 1923.

Life for Ada in Melbourne was peaceful with her father working as a builder until the Great Depression when family decided to relocate to Warragul where they bought a dairy farm.

One of Ada’s first recollections after moving to Warragul with her family was: “Walking the three-and-a-half miles to school, and being joined by school friends along the way.”

Despite her academic ability, Ada left school at the age of 15.

“I recall that an education for girls was not necessary at that time,” she said.

At 19 years of age, she enlisted in the Women’s Auxillary Air Force (WAAF), where she worked as a radar operator in South Australia.

Ada’s time with the WAAF proved auspicious, as she would meet her future husband, Jim, through her work there.

Cape Jervis would be Ada’s home for many months while her future husband Jim was located in a radar control room in Adelaide, South Australia.

As a radar operator on the lonely night shifts, Ada would talk over the phone with Jim where the two would chat for many hours over the airwaves, falling in love.

Eventually, Ada and Jim met face to face, and married in 1944.

Post-war, and while Jim was in recovery at the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital, Ada worked in the Code and Cipher Section at Victoria Barracks in Melbourne in a civilian capacity.

After Jim’s 15-month stint in the Repatriation Hospital, the couple took up dairy farming in Bamawm.

Following seven years at Bamawm, Ada and Jim continued dairy farming for 15 years at Timmering and then moved to Gunbower, where they and family members established a stockfeed fill.

Sons Jeff, a mining engineer, and David, a mechanical engineer, would go on to join the family business.

After a long working life, Ada and Jim decided to retire in Echuca, before Jim’s passing in 2000.

Family meant a great deal to Ada, and she experienced a tremendous personal loss during World War II when her brother Chris Fry was listed as ‘’missing in action’’.

Following the war, Ada learned that her brother had died as a prisoner of war on the notorious Burma Railway.

In addition to her four children, Ada has 10 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.

“I’m very proud of all their achievements,” Ada said.

Ada also played an important role in many charitable organisations.

“I helped many charity organisations, including the Red Cross, Country Women’s Association and Probus,” she said.

Ada has had a long and wonderful life, despite the hardships as well as the many uplifting joys one would experience in a rich, rewarding life.

Indeed, a life well-lived, filled with love and family.