A century's worth of life well-lived

A Hawera centenarian celebrated her birthday in style last week. Margaret McNeil-Adams spent two days toasting her 100th birthday with family and friends. Born Margaret Isobel Morrison in Stratford on May 10, 1913, she spent most of her life in south and central Taranaki. The eldest of seven children born to Joe and Jean Morrison, Mrs McNeil-Adams dreamt of becoming a teacher. Training at the Auckland Teachers' Training College before the war, she returned to Taranaki to teach at many country schools including Auroa, Manaia and Otakeho. "During the Depression in the 1930s Margaret spent some time at Matemateaonga, east of Eltham, acting as a governess to two children," her sister Betty Morrison said. It was there that Mrs McNeil-Adams met her late husband Murray. Ms Morrison described her sister as a keen hockey player with plenty of energy. The couple had three daughters, Jennifer, Marion and Allison. The couple's youngest daughter, Allison, died in a Burmese plane crash in 1978. Allison and her husband Hugh Taylor were on a teaching sabbatical travelling the world. "What Murray and Margaret did was establish a lodge, Pokaka, near Tongariro," said Bill Morrison, her brother. "It's a place that secondary students can go and do skiing in the winter time." The legacy helped the family get through an otherwise traumatic and devastating experience, he said. She has seen four generations of her family and is a grandmother to five children and great-grandmother to seven. "Her granddaughter, Katherine, with her two small boys, have come over from Perth for the occasion," Ms Morrison said. Mrs McNeil-Adams is now a resident of Annie Brydon Rest Home but lived alone until well into her 90s. - © Fairfax NZ News PETRA FINER- SOUTH TARANAKI STAR Last updated 10:40 16/05/2013