Mandurah resident Emma Smoker doesn’t know the secret to living to 100 — but laughter, family and the occasional glass of brandy may have helped.
The sassy centenarian celebrated her milestone birthday at Dawesville Golf Club on Friday surrounded by family and friends.
Mrs Smoker said it was “overwhelming” to see so many relatives and friends at the party.
“I never thought I’d reach 100,” Mrs Smoker said.
“I’m pretty good. I don’t feel 100, I feel well in myself.”
Mrs Smoker couldn’t be photographed without her lippy and guests noted her wicked sense of humour, love for the West Coast Eagles, cricket, cards and sassy personality.
During her speech, Mrs Smoker said she hoped guests would also see their 100th birthday.
It was a miracle Mrs Smoker survived infancy, let alone her 100th birthday.
In 1924, there were no NICUs for premature infants and Mrs Smoker was born weighing about three pounds (about 1.3kg).
“They kept her in cotton wool by their chest,” her sister Joy Blinco said.
“She was such a tiny thing”.
Due to her small size, Mrs Smoker was nicknamed “Bambi” by her parents.
The average life expectancy for a woman in those days was 68.
But Mrs Smoker comes from a line of long-lived women — her mother lived to 95 and her aunt to 94.
She was one of eight kids and four of her siblings were guests at the party, including her youngest sister Beth Bishop, 82, seventh child Joy, 84, sixth child Patricia, 90, and fifth eldest Kevin Chatfield, 92.
Mrs Smoker survives her husband Gordon, who she married in 1945.
She was a working mother and had jobs as a seamstress and the couple ran a cake shop together.
The couple lived in Rivervale for 50 years before Mrs Smoker moved to Mandurah in 2012 after Mr Smoker’s death.
Mrs Smoker has 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.