ALBERT George Hone will celebrate his 100th birthday on 19 May.
He was born in 1914 in Pakenham, the fifth of six children to Albert and Elsie Hone.
George attended Toomuc Valley School in 1920 before moving to Pakenham State School the following year. He lived in one of the cottages on Toomuc Valley Orchards with his parents, one brother and four sisters.
At 14, George left school to work with his father on their apple orchard.
He married Grace Goldsack in 1940. Her parents owned the timber mill and hardware store on the corner of Station and Main streets in Pakenham.
They lived on a property in Ahern Road on their apple orchard until they moved to Henry Street when their eldest child Elaine started school.
George helped Gordon Collyer build a new home using timber from the mill.
George and Grace raised their four daughters here and lived in this home in Henry Street for 40 years.
During this time, George worked at Plummers Garage, Don Williamson’s Cool Stores, the Country Roads Board and the Shire of Pakenham as a grader driver up to his retirement.
In the 1950s and 60s, he often spent his annual three weeks leave in Tasmania where he built wooden apple boxes for his brother- in-law and his family.
George would single handedly make 30,000 boxes for the season which were also used for export.
He would arrive home with his suitcase full of frozen fish caught around Southport.
George loved duck shooting, fox shooting, fishing and gardening.
His vegetable garden was always weed free and very productive.
A quiet man, he was always willing to help neighbours and friends with any handyman job.
After 72 years of marriage, his beloved wife Grace passed away 16 months ago.
George lives at Grossard Court Aged Care Facility in Cowes and enjoys very good health.
He has read most of the books in the library and his only medication is one sleeping tablet each day.
He claims the secret to a long life is home cooked meals, no smoking and or drinking.
His four daughters Elaine Severino, Lynette Campigli, Marjorie Morris and Julie Hayward, sons-in-law Bill Severino and Garry Morris, 11 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren are proud that their father and pop will be 100 on 19 May and wish him love and best wishes for his future.
