It may have been a quieter celebration than usual due to the coronavirus but Cyril Blowes marked his 107th birthday this month with the person that matters most, his wife Pattie, by his side.
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Mr Blowes, believed to be the oldest living resident of Port Stephens, celebrated another year around the sun on April 4.
His birthday is third in a string of milestones for the couple who live at Harbourside Haven in Shoal Bay. Mrs Blowes turned 99 in February, shortly before they marked their 79th wedding anniversary on March 23.
In a previous interview with the Examiner, Mr Blowes said he did not know the secret to a long life or marriage. But he did say that good genes and good family helped with the long life, and forgiveness helped with the long marriage.
"Good genes, good family, country life - it's hard to say," Mrs Blowes said. "A bit of luck comes into it. It's a commitment and you do go through changes, which you have to adjust to. We live quietly. We're a happy team.
"Every marriage, every family, has its up and downs but you need to tread carefully and forgive. Forgive each other and yourself. You have to give to get back."
Mr Blowes said that he was "just an ordinary man" who was was not without his regrets, but was fortunate to have some success in his life.
Mr and Mrs Blowes met at a ball in Mudgee, where Pattie lived at the time. Mr Blowes had moved to Mudgee to open his menswear business, Blowes Clothing.
They were married in March 1941, one year after Mr Blowes joined the World War II effort. After serving overseas, Mr Blowes returned to Australia in 1945 when the war ended.
In 1936 Mr Blowes opened the first Blowes store in Mudgee, a business that has remained in the family for more than 80 years. The couple raised four children in Mudgee while Mr Blowes expanded his business.
After retiring, the pair moved to Port Stephens in 1980.
Active in the community, the couple were members of Port Stephens Probus Club for close to 40 years.
"History, as they say, is between the pages but for Cyril Blowes history is his memories of the 107 years that he notched up on April 4. Cyril has just about seen it all," David Heath from the Probus club said about Mr Blowes' birthday.
