100 Years of Giving - Mrs Porter Shares the Key to a Happy Life

On 28 August 2022, Resthaven Community Respite Services client, Mrs Patricia Porter, celebrated her centenarian milestone with family and friends. This is the first of several family milestones on the horizon, with her two sons turning 70 and 75 this year!

Mrs Porter grew up on the family Orchard in Kapunda, South Australia, before relocating to Adelaide, where she attended St Morris Primary School, a technical high school.

"I didn’t enjoy study very much, so I left at 15, and started a 9am-9pm job at the Myer Emporium department store—that was until 1941, of course."

"During war times, when I was 18, unmarried women were expected to assist in some way. For me, that meant doing munitions work at an engineering company, where I made 20-pound shell cases as big as my forearm."

It was in this line of work where Mrs Porter met her future husband, Sergeant Lloyd Porter, who drove tanks in the army.

After two years of courtship, the couple married at St Matthews Church, Marryatville, in 1942.

"Lloyd went on leave, and we only had three days to get everything together before he went back! It was madness."

After six years of military service, Mr and Mrs Porter were free to purchase a tailoring business in Adelaide, where they settled down.

"Lloyd was a tailor by trade, and I had retail experience, so we worked well together in that shop for 30 years."

After five years of marriage, the couple welcomed their first child, Noel, followed by their second, Scott.

"We all shared a wonderful life together in our Clarence Gardens home for 40 years. We were always entertaining."

Mr and Mrs Porter shared many beautiful memories together, including caravanning adventures around Australia. They also enjoyed music.

"We were always a musical family, and we were always charitable. That was always important to me, as I have fundraised my whole life, even now."

"My family and friends get together each week to knit rugs for 'treasure box', where our items are donated to refugees, the homeless, and other vulnerable members of the community."

"While I can use my hands and my brain, I will keep contributing what I can. It is what keeps me active."

At 100 years of age, Mrs Porter carries on living independently at a local retirement village, keeping busy with gardening, knitting, reading, crosswording, and this year, travelling.

"I seem to always be packing for something! It is my 100th, but it will soon be Noel’s 75th, and then Scott’s 70th, so I will be heading to Melbourne next."

Many happy returns, Mrs Porter. 

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