He's certainly had a long life - Ron (born Ronald) turned 100 years old on Monday, January 31.

He has eaten a lot of cake over the last few days, and his room is chock full of flowers and cards, one of them a proudly-displayed letter from King Charles III.

The official celebration of Ron's birthday was the day before at Club Taree, where he spent the afternoon with family and friends.

Celebrations continued the next day, his actual birthday, as staff at his home of Alkira Lodge, and a visit from his daughter who lives in Sydney, meant a stream of constant visitors. And more cake.

Ron was born in Melbourne, and at age 18 he joined the army to serve in WWII. He was in Queensland, waiting to be sent to fight in Papua New Guinea when he was transferred to the navy (his preference). A move he was was "very lucky". He served in the Pacific on corvettes (small warships).

After a stint in insurance, Ron had a long career with British Paints, starting as a sales rep and moving up the ranks to become the sales director.

In 1955 he married his sweetheart, Esther, who he had met through scouting, an activity Ron said was always a big part of their lives, and passed on to their four children.

Related: Letter from King Charles for Jean

Ron and Esther moved to Sydney in the 1960s due to Ron's work with British Paints. In the 1970s they purchased a fisherman's shack at Pacific Palms as a holiday home.

Ron retired when he was 60, and after a few years of retirement in Sydney they bought Tengara Holiday Apartments in Lake Cathie in 1985, where they moved and renovated the apartments.

However, when their son Daryl died in tragic circumstances, Ron and Esther were no longer happy in Lake Cathie, and decided to move permanently to their holiday home at Elizabeth Beach in 1987.

The fisherman's shack was renovated to become a family home over the years, and was frequently filled with their remaining children, Peter, Lindy and Elisabeth, and their children.

Esther sadly died in 2011, and in 2013 Ron sold up the Pacific Palms property and moved into Golden Ponds retirement village in Forster, a place Ron came to love for the social life and the friends he made.

In September 2021, in the midst of the COVID pandemic, Ron fell and broke his hip.

"I was in hospital continuously for six months," Ron said.

Ron's daughter, Lindy said it was very hard for Ron to accept, as he had always been a very active and fit person, who enjoyed camping and bushwalking, skiing, cycling and "the beach life".

After a lot of rehabilitation, Lindy said Ron became overconfident, and broke his other hip.

The hard decision was made to move Ron into Alkira Lodge in Taree, which is closer for Lindy to visit Ron regularly, and have a few wines over dinner.

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