General News
24 November, 2023
Town mourns passing of centenarian
PEGGY Cameron has passed away just week’s before her 101st birthday. One of two centenarians in Pyramid Hill, Peggy had been a loved resident since she moved to the town with her late husband Norm 54 years ago. Ahead of her 100th birthday last...
PEGGY Cameron has passed away just week’s before her 101st birthday.
One of two centenarians in Pyramid Hill, Peggy had been a loved resident since she moved to the town with her late husband Norm 54 years ago.
Ahead of her 100th birthday last December, Peggy shared recollections of life.
She was born in Finley, New South Wales, in an era when she said “we did things machines do now”. Her father bred Clydesdales.
After finishing school, Peg worked on the farm and in a bakery.
She met Norm who had a motorcycle. “He put on the sidecar and we went to the pictures ... my mum knew before I got home to tell her where I had been,” Peggy said.
Peggy and Norm were engaged before World War Two, just as Norm enlisted in the Australian Army and was sent to the Middle East. They were married in 1942 when Norm returned and soon after he joined the Royal Australian Air Force serving in Australia’s north. After coming to Pyramid Hill, they both became involved in the RSL sub-branch.
Peggy was active in the ladies’ auxiliary and later was secretary of the sub-branch.
That was after the venture of growing pineapples in Queensland. “When we got there, they said there had not been a frost for years. We arrived, there was a frost and we lost the lot,” Peg said.
Peg and Norm had two daughters, Joy and Jeanette. It was the introduction to technology that kept Peg in touch with her seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
“The ipad’s one of the best things I have ever got.”
And she maintained contact with the Pyramid Hill community with visits to the senior citizens’ centre every Friday.
“There’s about seven or eight of us who play cards,” she said.
Norm managed the spare parts department at the local garage and they lived next to Ivan Vanderwell, together they won many trophies on the bowling green.
Ivan celebrated his 101st birthday in June. He still lives independently with the support of friends in the town.
The Loddon’s other living centenarian Darby Illingworth is in aged care in Bendigo. He was featured in last week’s Loddon Herald after daughter June Andrew spoke at Calivil on Remembrance Day.