I acknowledge Marie Foster from the Cessnock electorate who will turn 100 years old on 1 November 2013. Born just after the Titanic sank, Marie was raised with her two sisters by a single mum in a much different Paddington, Sydney, than we see today. Life was hard; the family survived two world wars and the Great Depression. She worked as a milliner and her war effort was in munitions. Marie married Jack in 1947; they had three children and moved to Cessnock in 1964 where Jack was a fire station officer. After retirement they became grey nomads, travelling Australia for 4½ years and later overseas. Marie has always been a proud Australian, consciously buying Australian-made products. When asked how it feels to be turning 100 Marie said, “It just creeps up on you”.
