Bolton Clarke Veteran Celebrates 105 Years of Life

Older than Mt Isa – it’s quite the feat for a woman whose 105 years of life have been nothing short of incredible.

Elma Tadman was already 10 when the country town was officially established. It plays a key role in her memories as the place she met her husband.

On 15 March she celebrated her 105th birthday surrounded by family and friends at her home in Bolton Clarke’s Treetops residential community at New Farm.

Elma’s family say she was no stranger to hard work.

“She says when she was young she was too busy to get married,” said daughter Pamela.

“One day someone asked her if she’d ever get married. She told them she could get married tomorrow.”

And so, she did. At age 38 Elma was married and by 39 she was a mother to her first and only daughter, Pamela.

Elma grew up in a large family as one of 12 children, of whom seven are still surviving.

“Longevity seems to run in the family,” said Pamela.

Never still for long, she moved from Mount Isa to South Australia then Darwin before retiring to the Sunshine Coast.

An Airforce Veteran and avid golfer, Elma played the sport alongside the likes of Greg Norman’s late mother.

On her 105^th birthday she was joined by members of the Treetops community for a special celebration including her favourite chocolate cake.

Her grandson and three of her nine great-grandchildren also joined in on the celebrations.

Elma is one of the inaugural members of Bolton Clarke’s Centenarian Club, which launched in 2017.