Parkes woman, Nora Roffe, celebrates her 100th birthday

Last Friday Nora had a practice celebration with family and friends at her nursing home, BaptistCare Niola Centre.

Cr Bill Jayet and Member for Orange Phil Donato were on hand to read many congratulatory messages from Parkes Mayor Ken Keith, the Premier of New South Wales Gladys Berejiklian, the Governor of NSW Margaret Beazley and New South Wales Legislative Assembly Speaker Jonathan O'Dea.

They presented Nora with gorgeous bunches of flowers and helped her blow out the candles on her birthday cake.

On Saturday a lunch was held at the Parkes Bowling and Sports Club to celebrate Nora's special day, with family members travelling from Taree, Albury and Mittagong.

Nora's life story submitted by her family...

Nora (nee Bartholomew) was born on September 7, 1919 in Albury to Police officer Sergeant Gordon Bartholomew and his wife Daisy.

Their family was made up of Marie (dec), Nora, Ross and Lola (both dec).

Nora's mother Daisy was a direct descendant of the noted explorer, Captain Charles Sturt.

Nora started school at Howlong near Albury, but with her father being a Sergeant of Police the family moved around the county including Goulburn, Temora then to Ganman (near Wagga Wagga).

Nora started her first job at the telephone exchange in Temora.

When Sergeant Bartholomew was transferred to Bowral Nora also transferred to Bowral to work at their telephone exchange.

After her family moved to Bathurst for her father's work Nora stayed and moved to Mittagong and continued to work at Bowral.

Nora met the love of her life Norman Roffe and they made their home in Mittagong.

Norm worked for the department of main roads as a bridge engineer so when the war came Norm went into the Army field engineers which took him to the Middle East, while Norm was away Nora stayed in Mittagong with Norm's family.

After the war they moved to Potts Point where Norm worked for a motor firm in Sydney.

Their son Desmond was born at Paddington, the family moved from Sydney back to Mittagong where they then had a daughter named Yvonne, but sadly she passed away at 14 months of age.

Another move took the Roffe family out to Warren where they lived until a call came from Nora's sister Joan, so Nora and Des came to Parkes to help out with Joan's family, with Norm joining them here in Parkes soon after and here they stayed.

Norman worked with Department of Main Roads in Parkes which took him all over the place and he was away a lot.

Nora had time on her hands so she started helping out with Parkes Infants School mothers club as an auxiliary member then she became President.

She organised balls that were held at the old picture theatre in Dalton St (now Generocity Church), organised the tuck shop and toffee cake stalls.

Also being a member of Parkes Infants School Mothers Club, Nora went to the first meeting of Home Care seeing it as a very worthwhile service and decided she wanted to help.

Nora worked as a volunteer running the financial side of the service from her home including the paying of wages and accounts.

Nora did this job for 30 years and only in the last eight did she receive casual pay, all the rest were done as a volunteer from 1956-1986.

In 1986 Nora and Mrs Enid Pratt were nominated for Citizen of the Year for their service to Home Care. They both served 30 years 23 of them being voluntary.

Nora was a member of the Parkes Hospital Auxiliary which helped the hospital with working bees to mend bed sheets, buying things for the hospital and getting the goodies for the trolley that did the rounds of the hospital with all the patients needs on it.

Nora was a steward of the needle work section at the Parkes Show from 1963 to 1983 with her good mate Mrs Doris Noble.

Norm sadly passed away on the September 11, 1986.

The Railway Womens' Bowling Club also had Nora's time as she enjoyed her bowls and she also had time to help with the catering side of things.

She held the position of treasurer from 1965 to 1973 then secretary from 1973 to 2002.

Nora also took on the treasurers job the the Central West and District Ladies Bowls for more than 10 years with Mrs Jess Knights as President. It worked well as they lived in the same town.

Nora is a life member of the Railway Ladies Bowling Club.

Nora also helped deliver library books to Rosedurnate residents, she was 87-years-old herself and delivering to the elderly.

Nora was Robert Taylor's book keeper for a lot of years for his business in Court Street, and she also delivered meals on wheels with Mrs Jean Nelson.

Nora is a quiet achiever, after retiring from volunteer work Nora enjoyed gardening, knitting squares for craft corner, cutting stamps for the Anglican Church, sewing and reading.

Nora continued to live her life in her home in Church St, being a rather independent and private lady until March 2018 when she moved to Niola, where she still lets us know when she needs something or asks why we haven't been to visit.

Nora enjoys her Wednesday nights out at the club and her 5 cent bets on the pokies and yes - winning more times than losing.

Nora's son Desmond married Micky and they have three children Lucinda, Brendon and Jeremy.

They have given Nora eight great grandchildren William, Keely, Mekai, Maya, Remi, Saige, Archi and Jax.