Ellen Eather’s family helps her celebrate her 90th

On May 28, Ellen Eather celebrated a significant milestone in her life – turning 90 – and she believes that keeping active and her loving family is the key to her longevity.

Ellen celebrated with 70 of her family members at the Boggabri RSL with a smorgasbord followed by a cake for dessert.

Ellen’s son David Eather was master of ceremonies.

Mr Eather welcomed everyone saying how special it was to be able to celebrate with most of the family members.

A few were not present as they are in Western Australia, however they had sent their best wishes.

Ellen Margaret McDonald was born on May 28, 1933, in Boggabri Private Hospital to parents Mary Winifred and Basil Thomas McDonald.

Mr and Mrs McDonald had four children, Doug, Ellen, Marion and Bruce.

Ellen and Marion are the only surviving siblings with Ellen living on her own in Boggabri while Marion is a resident in the Boggabri John Prior MPS.

Ellen attended Blue Vale primary school with her siblings but didn’t attend high school.

When she was 15, she went straight to work at the Boggabri Farmers Co-Op, working as a secretary, for six years, learning on the job.

Young Rex Eather was a Boggabri local lad however, he and his family moved to South Australia for five years to look after a very ill family member.

While he was in South Australia he was called up for the war.

He did his training and made his way to Darwin with the defence force only to arrive in Darwin ready to go overseas and the war ended.

He didn’t get to go overseas, but made his way back to Boggabri after discharge where he got a job at the Boggabri Farmers Co-op.

Rex was working in the grocery department when he reconnected with Ellen working as a secretary.

Their families had known each other many years prior.

Ellen and Rex were married September 25, 1954 and welcomed five children into their family unit.

Little did they know that from that marriage and the birth of Sharon Eyles (Campbelltown), Cheryl Shields (Baan Baa), Janise Shannon (Hamilton in Brisbane), Debbie Silke (Brisbane) and David Eather (Newcastle), there would be 72 descendants (and several babies expected in the coming months) all eager to celebrate Ellen’s 90th birthday.

“We were very fortunate to grow up in a home surrounded by loving parents who guided us to become the people we are today,” David said.

“We all have great memories of growing up in Walton Street in Boggabri.

“I remember every Saturday night mum would cook a baked dinner and a homemade dessert.”

David went on to say: “Mum loves her knitting and crocheting, I don’t think there is a person in Boggabri that hasn’t had an Ellen Eather jumper or cardigan.

“All the grandkids and great grandkids have a rug made by mum, which is a wonderful keepsake to have.”

With more than 70 descendants now, the family often wonder how Ellen remembers all their birthdays.

She did give her secret away saying she has a book with so many to remember now.

Each person gets a birthday card and a small gift in the mail and a special gift at Christmas – one amazing woman.

Ellen has been a major supporter of the Boggabri Hospital Auxiliary being a member for over 60 years.

For forty years she served as the treasurer and has also served as the branch secretary for a couple of years.

Ellen is known for her endless hours of selling raffle tickets in the street for the hospital auxiliary.

Rain, hail, shine, and no matter how hot or cold it was she would be there. Her devotion is to be admired.

Having never held a driver’s licence, Ellen walks everywhere, including pushing the pram up the hospital hill to attend the hospital auxiliary meetings when her children were very young.

Ellen remembers playing vigoro for Boggabri, she says, “we also played at school when we were at school, and as adults we had a Boggabri team that travelled to Narrabri in a bus and we played teams from Wee Waa and Narrabri.”

The aim of the game is for a team to score more runs than the opposition team.

Vigoro is played on a pitch slightly shorter in length than a cricket pitch.

The balls are much lighter than those for cricket, and the bat has a different shape with a long handle resembling the shape of a paddle.

There are no overs and the batsmen bat from one end only.

Two bowlers bowl alternately and can incorporate any type of “throwing” action as long as the ball is released above the shoulder.

Rex and Ellen played night tennis and golf.

Ellen is still a member of the Boggabri Golf Club and although not an active player these days she helps with open days and raffles.

Sadly Rex passed away in 2005.

Prior to Ellen cutting the beautiful birthday cake her five children stood around her and recited a poem titled, ‘Mum’.

The nineteen grandchildren present helped blow out the birthday candles.

Family is dear to Ellen’s heart and when they presented her with a book with photos from many family occasions and celebrations involving all branches of the family tree, she could not wait to have a look and share the memories.

The children also gave her a special tea set so she can put her feet up and think of the children, while enjoying a cuppa.

Several of the great grandchildren had drawn and made cards for her and she also received 28 cards from friends.

A very special gift from the family was a new green house for her many plants.

Ellen has a green thumb and can be found pottering around in her garden most days.