100 Candles to Celebrate a Centenary

Mercy Place Mont Clare resident Enid Macoboy will celebrate her 100th birthday on Wednesday 2 March surrounded by family and friends who say the centenarian’s life has been hallmarked by a strong Catholic faith, quiet sense of determination and a strong resolve to remain independent.

Enid was born in East Perth on 2 March 1922 to James and Belinda Hopkins. She was the youngest of seven children - five girls and two boys and, is the last surviving child.

She went to school at Victoria Square in Perth, now Mercedes College, and also spent time at a Catholic school in a remote community near Southern Cross where her grandparents lived. She has many fond memories of her school days especially those spent in the country. Her first job after leaving school was as a secretary/receptionist at Wesfarmers. She made many lifelong friends there and they often holidayed together and met up socially long after Enid left Wesfarmers.

With the start of World War II, Enid joined the Air Force which saw her stationed at RAAF’s Pearce Air Base and Cunderdin Airfield in the Wheatbelt.  It was during this time that she met her husband-to-be Dudley and, soon after the war finished, the couple married at St Mary’s Cathedral in Perth. During the early years of marriage, the couple lived in Kalgoorlie where Dudley practised as a lawyer. In the early 1960s they bought a house in Nedlands and Enid was still living there until she recently moved to Mercy Place Mont Clare.

Enid was a full time mother to the couple’s three children, Brian, Gavin and Catherine. She was always actively involved in their school communities and was a regular helper at functions and fetes and the tuckshop at St Louis and Loreto. She was also an active contributor to Jesuit functions.

After the school years finished, Enid pursued many activities and took up bridge, dabbled with the French language and volunteered at her local Catholic Church, Holy Rosary Nedlands where she helped with religious education classes.

During the 1970s, Enid, together with a couple of ladies she met through school connections, purchased the post office and newsagency on Waratah Avenue, Dalkeith. Enid quickly became very proficient with all post office matters and was the postmistress there for many years. After the business was sold, Enid often helped out at other suburban post offices on a relief basis.

After her husband Dudley passed away suddenly in 1980, Enid subsequently took up a voluntary position running the office at Holy Rosary, Nedlands. She thoroughly enjoyed her daily interactions with the priests and parishioners. Incredibly, she volunteered there for 40 years, only retiring when she was 97.

Enid has five grandchildren and a great-grandchild on the way. She has always had a strong focus on and commitment to her family, and still enjoys regular outings with them.

Enid will celebrate her 100^th birthday with an afternoon tea for family and close friends at a grand daughter’s home, followed by a morning tea at Mercy Place Mont Clare. She will surely be delighted with birthday wishes from the Queen, Prime Minister and others but, we suspect her biggest smile will be saved for the Papal Blessing from Pope Francis. 

Mercy Place Mont Clare General Manager, Amanda Page, says Mrs Macoboy is an inspiring lady whose family remain dedicated to her.

“Everyone at Mercy Place Mont Clare likes and respects Enid and we’re all delighted that she has reached this major milestone - we will be making a big fuss of her on her birthday.”

“Maintaining good health throughout life is a key factor when it comes to ageing well, but things like maintaining relationships with family and friends are just as important to positive ageing, which we place a strong emphasis on at Mercy Place Mont Clare,” says Amanda.

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