The Oxford Court rest-home resident turns 104 years old today, capping off a weekend of events to mark the occasion.
On Saturday, Mrs Nelson (nee Dowden) cut her cake in front of fellow residents and family, a dinner was planned for yesterday and more celebrations were to be held today.
Mrs Nelson said she was looking forward to spending time with her family. She has four sons, 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren — and her cellphone was key to staying up-to-date with all of them.
She began using a cellphone when she was in her late 90s and learnt a little "bit by bit", she said.
"I ring my friends and my family. And they send me pictures and drawings.
"Everywhere I go, my phone goes with me. They tell me I’m worse than a teenager."
Scrabble, word-search, knitting and colouring-in also kept her busy at Oxford Court.
Eleven family members from Australia would be in Dunedin celebrating Mrs Nelson’s birthday, including a 3-year-old great-granddaughter she had not met before.
John Nelson, of Dunedin, said his mother was still as sharp as ever.
Mrs Nelson worked as a seamstress before she married her late husband Bill, which included producing military uniforms during World War 2.
