By Brendan Rees
Emilia Pascual has celebrated her 100th birthday in the company of family and friends.
A special tea party was held for the grandmother at her residence at Viewhills Manor Aged Care Home in Endeavour Hills on Friday 11 October.
Mrs Pascual, was all smiles as other residents joined the milestone celebration which featured a sponge cake, and an entertainer who performed some classical hits.
She was born in Appari Cagayan, a small province in the Philippines on 14 October, 1919, and lived in the capital Manila for most of her life before migrating to Australia in February 1980.
She finished school early and married Mariano Pascual, an engineer, and had six children and 19 grandchildren.
Her daughter, Cherry Kelly, said her mum’s secret to a long life was being “surrounded with very loving family,” adding she had never smoked or had alcohol in her life.
“Mum is loved by so many family and friends for being so kind and loving,” she said.
“Mum is so proud of her family to keep her standing up to this moment and continue to look after her and making the most of it even happier.”
Mrs Pascual doesn’t have many hobbies but loves playing the pokies “as she looks forward of getting dressed,” and “meeting people”.
Ms Kelly said a highlight of her mum’s life was being coronated as a beauty queen in her younger life.
Her carer Lucy Wilhelm, said she never missed a Catholic Mass session, and had a “great heart.”
“She goes for walks everywhere, she cooks up her own food in the microwave … she’s very independent,” she said.
