DRUMROLL for Enid – she’s 100 years young on Sunday 30 January.

With her home at Mater Christi in Toormina currently in pandemic lockdown, the planned 100th birthday celebrations with family and close friends have been postponed.

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Maggie Veness, Enid’s daughter who lives in Tasmania, has cancelled her trip but is heartened to know the milestone birthday will be celebrated.

“Enid will enjoy a very special in-house morning tea this Sunday,” Maggie told News Of The Area.

Below, Maggie shares a snapshot of her mum’s long life.

“Enid Francis Lambeth was born in Sydney on 30/01/1922.

“She has three children (one deceased), ten grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.

“Her mother, Bertha, came from Bathurst, and was working in Sydney when she met Emil, who’d recently emigrated from Lithuania.

“They married and moved to Sutherland, NSW, and went on to have five children: Gus, Greta, Alick, Enid and Will.
“Enid was four years old when their father died of a lung disease.

“With no Government assistance back then and five mouths to feed, Bertha and her children all worked very hard to survive, with home-grown veggies, chickens and a few milking cows.

“Enid recalls delivering heavy containers of milk by foot around the streets of Sutherland every morning before school.

“Enid married Vic Lambeth.

“They made a home in Sutherland, a few blocks from Bertha.

“The couple adopted Colleen, then Steven, and Margaret was born several years later.

“Popular budget family holidays involved long train journeys up to Blackheath to stay with close friends.

“They went on to build a house in nearby, leafy Heathcote.

“Vic had steady work at a battery factory, but to supplement that income, Enid worked from home for years, hemming endless bolts of narrow fabric on a thunderous industrial sewing machine, the fabric then cut to make handkerchiefs.

“That incessant noise would leave her suffering from tinnitus to this day.

“Following most of her married siblings, Enid and Vic moved north to sunny Sawtell around 1970.

“They lived for decades next door to the Sawtell Police Station, that flower-bordered house being demolished long ago to make way for a block of units.

“Vic soon scored a reputation for his skill as a Luderick fisherman, and regularly gave much of his catch away.

“Moving to a townhouse in 23rd Avenue, they both enjoyed golf, and were long time members of the Sawtell Golf Club, where Enid’s name appeared twice on the ‘Hole in One’ notice board.

“The couple were also loyal members of the Sawtell RSL Club, where many a meal and tinkle on the pokies was enjoyed.

“Enid’s brother Bill and wife Joyce founded Coffs Harbour Blinds and Awnings, and in those early days Enid helped out in their first shop in Park Avenue, Coffs Harbour.

“A shy but friendly and popular local, Enid gave her time over many years volunteering for the ‘Pink Ladies’ at Coffs Health Campus, and later at the Anglican Op-Shop in Sawtell.

“After the passing of 86-year-old husband Vic, Enid soldiered on with her companion dog, Pippy, who was ultimately taken by cancer.

“Eventually, age-related health issues and Doctor’s orders led Enid to choose Mater Christi to reside in for her ‘Sunset Years’, where, low and behold, her lovely sister-in-law, Joyce Jeff, has joined her in residence.

“Although Enid outlived all her siblings, remarkably, two of her sisters-in-law, Joyce and Trish Jeff, also remain as matriarchs of their families.

“Their combined ages total 288.”

“Alongside the expert care received, Enid regularly attends bingo, concerts, exercise class, music appreciation, bus outings and countless other activities on offer at Mater Christi and continues to surprise everyone with her resolve to ‘keep on keeping on’.”

By Andrea FERRARI