Be Yourself – 100 Years of Betty

Respect is proud to celebrate Betty from Mt St Vincent in Tasmania, who has just turned 100 years old this June. Betty is a warm and cherished member of the Mt St Vincent community, with a life rich in family, good food and the quiet satisfaction of a life well lived. 

Betty’s secret to reaching 100 is straightforward: stay active, play golf, and never touch cigarettes or alcohol.  

Growing up meant a life of hard work – but Betty had her dreams. She always wanted a bike, a camera and a watch. She grew up wanting to cook – a passion that never left her.

Betty went on to build a beautiful life full of cake decorating, including the memory of making her very first wedding cake – something she still cherishes. 

Betty found love in Ulverstone, when she met Cyril at a café. 

Cyril was a Navy man; a Returned Serviceman and he became the love of her life. Together they raised four children and built a family full of nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. 

Betty lived through the war years. Life in Tasmania was quiet and she describes it as very lowkey – but it was a time she has never forgotten. 

If she could go back to one day, it would be the birth of her first child. And what Betty is most proud of? Her family, without hesitation. 

Betty’s favourite music is by John Denver. One regret – she never quite cracked driving. The gears beat her and she panicked. She laughs about it now. 

Her advice: “Be yourself. Just do your thing.” 

When asked what Respect means to her, Betty said: “Treating everyone fairly.”