By Aaron Cordy
THE secret to a long, happy life can be debated until the cows come home. When Lorna Harbor, nee’ Ritchie, says, “Fresh air, sunshine, riding bikes and not sitting around,” with a cheeky grin, it is worth taking notice, because this Friday, August 21, will be Lorna’s 100th birthday.
Lorna is the oldest of three Ritchie girls born and raised in Naring, north of Numurkah, to Bob and Violet Ritchie, on the family farm with sheep, cropping, a Jersey Stud milking herd and thousands of chooks.
Beverley (Sharp), the baby of the family, turned 90 on Tuesday, July 28. And the shy Esme (Slapp) sits somewhere in the middle.
The extraordinary life the sisters have lived seems a little lost on them, given all the incredible changes they have seen over the years.
“I think we just took it in our stride. We just went along with things,” said Lorna.
“When you think of all those gadgets, you buy them, you might use them a couple of times, and you’ve got to stack them somewhere, haven’t you? It’s like a recipe. You might use it once out of a book, and then you go back to the way you used to make that cake.”
One of the staggering things about Lorna, Esme and Beverley is their independence. The sisters are still living in their own homes and still driving themselves around, fixing their own meals and living the lives they have always lived.
Lorna and Beverley also have active social lives that keep them connected to friends and the community. They visit each other regularly and talk on the phone almost daily, along with Esme. Most days, the pair are out and about meeting with friends for lunch and coffee.
“I think that might be the secret. Not sitting around looking at four walls,” said Lorna.
Lorna and her husband Frank had four children, who gave her seven grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. She is an active member of Ladies Probus, and she played golf, bowls and croquet until her knees gave out and she needed a hip operation.
Esme and her husband Gordon had three children, eight grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. Played the violin, piano and bagpipes. She still enjoys attending Country Music events across the region and is a member of the Mixed Probus Club in Numurkah.
Bob and Violet Ritchie both lived well into their 90s, and their daughters don’t look like slowing down anytime soon. Lorna and Beverley stayed in the Numurkah area, raising their families and living on the farm. Esme had a wandering heart, living in Sydney for many years before settling back in Shepparton.
While many may look at living to 100 as a remarkable feat, let alone still driving, visiting friends and living a fully independent life, for Lorna it is just her life.
“One of the things is, I haven’t lost many marbles. You see them in homes, and they don’t know whether they’re coming or going. And I’m still really independent. I am an independent person,” said Lorna.
“I saw it on telly or read it or something. They asked a guy about that (the secret to long life), and he said, “Just don’t die. And I thought that was good.”
