Nothing has ever broken the spirit of the Kingaroy country gal.
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And at the turn of Jean Redman’s century, it is quite clear that nothing ever will.
Jean Reddan grew up riding horses on a dairy farm in country Queensland before marrying “the boy next door”; a gentleman farmer with a surname containing just one letter different from her maiden name.
“It was quite efficient, even though it was a bit confusing for some,” she joked.
“I had to keep up the family name some way – I’m the last of the Mohicans (Reddans).”
The jocular centenarian shared her birthday with friends, neighbours and family at Macksville’s Autumn Lodge today.
When Guardian News asked her if she had any tips to making it to 100, she laughed back that she didn’t know – it’s not like she’d been trying.
“But definitely exercise, everyday … and I keep my brain going by reading and my crochet,” she said.
She has a strong forehand until the age of 70, when a wrist injury forced her out of tennis altogether.
And the crafty creator earned herself a blue ribbon at the Macksville Show for her crochetwork.
Her proudest achievement would be her family: two sons, Ken and Don, six grandchildren and eight great grandchildren who span across the globe from Cairns to Melbourne to the USA.
And those family members, along with a multitude of nieces and nephews, will be arriving in Macksville at Easter for birthday party number two.
Because when you’re 100, you’re allowed as many birthday parties as you want!