Staying healthy and hard work are centenarian Laurie Roche’s tips to a long life.
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The Narromine Shire and Timbrebongie House resident celebrated his 100th birthday on Thursday amongst family and friends.
His children and grandchildren joined Mr Roche at Timbrebongie house for the festivities where he was presented with a letter from the Queen and Governor General, Peter Cosgrove.
“The Queen’s letter was great, I was expecting it, but it was very, very nice,” he smiled.
Staff and residents were very excited as this was the first 100th birthday they’ve celebrated since they opened their doors in 1990.
Mr Roche has a rich history in rural NSW having worked in southern and western NSW growing up and moving out to western NSW post World War II.
Mr Roche was born in Adelong on Friday, June 16, 1916. He was sixth child in a family of eight. In 1922 his family moved to Sydney following his father’s death.
Laurie worked from very young age; he worked as a messenger boy and sold ice-creams at the now famous Enmore Theatre. Mr Roche was also involved in the ‘Boys on Farm Scheme’ and was sent to work in Leeton, Capertee, Tarcutta and Trundle.
Down the track, Mr Roche worked as a farmhand on a property in Nevertire. It was there he signed up to the army in May 1940 where he served in the Middle East and later in New Guinea.
Mr Roche married Mavis in Sydney in June of 1944 and was discharged from the army in August of 1945. He started delivering fuel for Shell and helping his wife run their corner store on Old Canterbury Road.
Unable to resist the central-west region, Mr Roche moved back to Nevertire in 1952, then onto Trangie and Tullamore in 1956 where he won a solider settler’s block. Here he became a mixed farmer with cropping space and growing what’s described by his children as a fine mob of merino sheep.
In 1979 Mr and Mrs Roche moved to Narromine where they helped run the poultry farm.
In August 1996 Mavis died.
Mr Roche spent some time moving around the region, but has since settled in Timbrebongie House.
Together they have three children; David, Pat and Sue, seven grandchildren and eight grandchildren.
A crowd favourite with staff and residents a like, he is often referred to as the “mayor” and is an inspiration to many people.
Wish Laurie a happy birthday by commenting below.