Dorothy Flannery celebrated 100 years

Dorothy Flannery, who was born in Parkes, met her husband here and is now a much-loved and deeply respected matriarch, has marked her 100th birthday. Surrounded by her large and devoted family, Dorothy’s centenary is not only a moment of joy for her relatives but also a reflection on a life filled with family, resilience and commitment to her community in Cowra. Dorothy’s son, Michael Flannery, spoke of the significance of the occasion for the family. “She had six children with her husband, my dad," Michael said. “Those six kids had 21 grandkids, and the 21 grandkids [have had] about 30-odd great grandkids now.” “So a very large family and everyone loves her very much. “So it’s a great milestone,” he said. The birthday prompted a reunion of sorts, with family members travelling internationally and interstate to join in the celebrations that took place on 6 September. Michael also reflected on his memories growing up on the family’s property at Cucum South, between Cowra and Boorowa. “I remember growing up on a farm with lots of siblings and four older sisters,” he said. “Mum taught us when we were small, mum taught us all correspondence school, before we started to go down to school. “I remember the freedom of living hopefully in the country,” he said. That sense of freedom and family connection is something Dorothy instilled in her children, shaping their lives as they in turn raised their own families. Reaching a century means Dorothy has witnessed an extraordinary sweep of history. From the introduction of motor vehicles and electricity to the digital revolution of the internet and smartphones, she has lived through times of enormous transformation. “A long time when you think about cars coming in and electricity coming in, and the huge changes with the internet and mobile phones,” Michael said. “She’s got one grandson living in New York, a grandson living in Europe. “She can ring him on her phone and talk to him and see him on the phone. “Same with other kids in England, London, and places around her. “She’s lived through huge changes,” he said. Dorothy was born in Parkes on 3 September, 1925, but her life became firmly intertwined with Cowra after marrying her husband John Flannery, whom she met during the Second World War. John was a pilot stationed in Parkes and Dorothy served in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAAF). “She met him there when she was 18 years old and got married not long after that, and moved to our original property where we lived nearly 100 years, Cucum South,” Michael said. Together they raised their six children and built a life rooted in family, farming and community. Dorothy has also been an active member of the Cowra community over the decades. She was a keen golfer, playing with the Cowra Ladies Golf Club for more than 40 years. “As she got older, she took up bridge about 40 years ago, and has been playing ever since, until recently, when her hands weren’t able to hold the cards," Michael said. Dorothy’s greatest legacy, however, lies in her family. Her family tree is both vast and vibrant. Michael highlighted the multicultural nature of their extended family: “As I said, that number of kids, they’re coming from all over the world, Japan, England, America, Queensland,” he said. “The second generation has married into 17 different nationalities. “We are a very multicultural family.” Dorothy now resides at Bilyara Aged Care facility in Cowra.