106 year old man celebrates Day of Older Persons

106 year old man celebrates International Day of Older Persons

- Whiskey, honey & fish are secrets to long life -

Dudley Sainsbury has something to celebrate: today is International Day of Older Persons and at the ripe old age of 106 he believes this is his time to party.

Dudley intends celebrating this landmark day and his remarkable old age with a special cake and the company of fellow resident friends at Radius Lexham Park rest home in Katikati. He might also have a whiskey or a beer but won’t decide which until the time – when you’re 106 there’s no rush he says.

Born on 15th June 1903 Dudley is the oldest rest home resident at Radius Lexham Park and quite possibly the oldest person in New Zealand says the national office of Births, Deaths & Marriages.

Dudley’s not sure what the secret to long life is but suspects his sweet tooth may have had something to do with it. He has regularly enjoyed a big dollop of plain old clover honey in his cup of tea for as long as he can remember.

“We used to buy bucket loads of the stuff from a local bee keeper and my father would have a big spoonful of it in his cuppa every day”, says his daughter Jean who regularly visits her dad at the Radius rest home where he has been well cared for over the past six years.

“Dad also loved his regular whiskey in the evening and a smoke on his pipe, as well as devouring kippers by the plateful. But he never ate junk food”, attests his daughter Jean.

Dudley also kept physically fit by walking hills on the family farm and mentally by playing chess.

An Englishman, Dudley was born in London and has survived two World Wars and more than a century of global events. He immigrated to New Zealand in 1956 with his wife Martney and one of his three daughters to go dairy farming in Apata, south of Katikati.

Youngest daughter Jean remembers her father living a quiet humble life on the farm and enjoying his evening whiskey or beer.

And with Thursday being International Day of Older Persons, Dudley’s plans are the same as they have been for the last century – an intent to have a quiet drink with friends to celebrate.

ENDS

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