After finishing primary school, Jean Aiken (Broadribb) was forced to find work on local farms around Maroota due to the lack of a school bus. Her mother had passed away just a few years earlier, leaving her in the part-time care of a next-door neighbour.

Today, Jean celebrated her 100th birthday, surrounded by family, friends, and the dedicated nursing staff at Fitzgerald Aged Care in Windsor. Also in attendance were Federal Member Susan Templeman, Hawkesbury Mayor Les Sheather, and Reverend Chris Jones.  Proudly on display was a card from the King, containing a photograph of the Monarch and Queen Camilla.

“It was such a fantastic day! It was more than I could have ever expected,” Jean’s daughter Joy told the Hawkesbury Post. ”Fitzgerald went above and beyond in creating a truly incredible celebration for mum and she was so happy,” she said.

While surprised by all the fuss, Jean shared her secret to a long and fulfilling life: "helping others." 

Jean's journey has certainly embodied that philosophy. Born in Portland near Lithgow in 1925, she moved with her family to Glossodia before settling on a larger farm in Maroota in 1928, where they grew fruit and vegetables.

At 17, Jean claimed to be 18 so she could enlist in the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD), serving as a nurse at Hawkesbury Hospital and the RAAF base hospital until the conclusion of World War II. After the war, she returned to farm work, where she met Sydney Aiken, whom she later married in 1948. The couple settled on her father’s farm in Maroota, taking on the responsibilities of running the business. They had two children, Bill and Joyce, and looked forward to the weekly dances at Maroota Hall.

In 1955, the family relocated to Windsor to provide better schooling opportunities for their children. Syd resumed work as a plumber, while Jean dedicated herself to volunteer work. She became actively involved with the CWA and the Red Cross, frequently visiting patients in hospitals. She was also a longstanding member of St Matthew’s Church, continuing her involvement well into her 90s. In her free time, she enjoyed tennis and gardening.

During the 1960s, financial difficulties led Jean to take a job at the Dowidat company in North Richmond. When her husband Syd passed away in April 1972, she continued working until the company eventually closed. Following her retirement, she traveled to New Zealand and the Pacific Islands and took up old-time dancing with her tennis friends. However, her passion for helping others remained strong - she soon returned to volunteering, visiting sick children in hospitals well into her 80s.

Jean also dedicated 35 years to Meals on Wheels, serving the community with unwavering commitment. Her love for travel continued throughout Australia with friends. She now has five grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

“With all her socialising and volunteering, the garden never suffered. If anything, it got bigger as Jean got older,” Joy said.