The celebration was an example of the role YFS plays in creating meaningful connections, building community, and supporting people to remain connected, independent and cared for at every stage of life.
And Eileen’s brilliant, well-travelled life has a lot to celebrate. Born in New Zealand, she grew up with 11 siblings and remembers a childhood without television, learning nursery rhymes that she can still recite by heart today. During the war, Eileen and three of her sisters worked in a cigarette factory.
Eileen married Bob, a pilot, and raised their four children in a beachfront home in Napier, New Zealand. Alongside raising her family, she worked in a variety of roles, including fruit picking and factory work, before launching two successful businesses: Napier’s ice cream parlour and the airport cafeteria.
In 1978, Eileen and her husband moved to Mermaid Beach on the Gold Coast where they bought a fast-food shop. Later, they lived in Fiji, where her husband worked as a pilot for an island airline, before settling in Cooroy on the Sunshine Coast. It was there that Eileen’s love of gardening flourished. She spent countless hours tending her garden and volunteered at the local hospital creating floral arrangements.
After many years in Cooroy, Eileen and Bob moved to Loganholme so they could be closer to family support. Sadly, Bob passed away not long after the move at the age of 92.
In June 2025, Eileen moved into the Slacks Creek Community Housing Initiative. Having her own home and maintaining her independence are deeply important to Eileen, who has spent a lifetime raising a family, running businesses and carving her own path.
Our YFS team has since come to know Eileen well. Through regular check-ins, conversations and celebrations like her 100th birthday, the team supports Eileen to stay connected and continue living life on her own terms.
“The girls are so lovely. They bring me homemade cake. There’s nothing like homemade cake.”
Family also remains at the heart of Eileen’s life. Her son Shaun, who lives in New Zealand, calls every night and often again in the mornings. Eileen now has 13 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren who continue to bring her joy.
Asked what advice she would share after 100 years of life experience, Eileen’s answer is simple:
“Love many, trust a few, always paddle your own canoe.”
Eileen’s daughter Danna describes her as “a force of nature”, and anyone who hears Eileen’s stories would be inclined to agree. At 100 years old, she still enjoys family visits, chocolate, ice cream and her beloved gerberas.
