![]() We had no electricity and no water in the house. Mum had all her children at home without a doctor and with only a local woman acting as a midwife. “My darling mum had another six children making a total of seven of which I am the sixth. Luckily, her husband survived but food was scarce and the land was neglected. She struggled to raise her son alone until the civil war was over in 1949. She got married just after WWII and gave birth to her eldest son, Paul, just before her husband went off to fight in the Civil War. ![]() At 19, young Effie – the second of six siblings – worked with her older sister to keep the younger once safe while her parents worked hard to ensure they could provide the essentials for their family. World War II brought with it even more devastation and terror. They kept a plate in the cupboard for people passing through her village in search of jobs, some who hadn’t eaten for days. Thankfully, her parents were landowners and grew their own produce to ensure food was on the table. She grew up during the Great Depression where she witnessed her father’s life savings lose value overnight. READ MOIRE: Good news gran is back home from St Basil’s via Austin after surviving COVID-19 Other members of her family dropped in for afternoon tea with more birthday cake and sweet delights. On her actual birthday, Wednesday 10 June, additional members of her family dropped in with gifts, flowers and a celebratory lunch as well as a birthday cake. “Thinking back, we were lucky that there was a window of opportunity that allowed us to meet in restricted numbers unlike the situation right now,” her daughter Stavroula Spiropoulos said.Ĭelebrations started with a barbeque the Sunday before her birthday at the house of her first-born son Paul Spiropoulos in Kew with his children and grandchildren dropping in one at a time. ![]() Instead, her birthday celebrations, just before Stage Four lockdown, were extended to a period of more than three weeks giving every member of her large family of seven children and their spouses, 22 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren an opportunity to visit according to the lighter restrictions. Her house was filled with beautiful bouquets of flowers from well-wishers, family and friends.ĬOVID-19 restrictions did not allow for the family to gather together for the special milestone. On her birthday, Kyria Effie received a congratulatory birthday card from the queen, one from Prime Minister Scott Morrison and another from the Governor General. Efstathia (Effie) Spiropoulos turned 100.īorn on 10 June 1920 during the period of the Turkish/Greek war of Asia Minor and in the aftermath of the Spanish Flu pandemic, Kyria Effie is now continuing to live through the COVID-19 pandemic. ![]()
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