Events
Edna celebrates centenary with family and friends

Edna 'Ted' Simpson has celebrated her hundredth birthday with family and friends on Saturday, May 18.

Born on May, 18, 1924, in Dubbo, Edna 'Ted' Simpson (nee Chivers) has seen quite a few towns around the region, including Mullumbimby, Cootamundra and Forbes.

She first moved to Grenfell in 1936, arriving from Cootamundra with her family.

Ted was the youngest of four children to her parents, and she cites her father's job as a postmaster as a main reason why she moved to various towns in the Central West before arriving in Grenfell,

Ted also lived in Townsville and Sydney during her time in the Royal Australian Air Force.

Ted enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in June 1943, when she was 19 and was posted to 6 RAAF Postal Unit.

Ted says she felt the need to do her part for the war effort, as her brother and two brothers-in-law had also enlisted.

"My brother in law was a POW in Japan and my brother was in the air force, I thought it was time to do something," she said.

Prior to enlisting, Ted was working at the Commercial Bank in Grenfell and said by the time she finished up at the bank she was the only one there besides the manager.

"All the boys went one by one and I decided I best go too."

Ted was stationed in Sydney, Melbourne and Townsville, and made many lifelong friends along the way. Ted discharged at the rank of aircraftwoman in November 1945.

Following her return from the RAAF, Ted later married Wallace Simpson, and they moved to a property along the Bimbi Road.

Ted said she went to school with Wallace and had her eye on him before.

Together they had three children, eight grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

Ted said living on the property had its challenges and joked she had no idea that she had to cook for 13 shearers.

While Ted lived on the farm, she worked at the counter of Post Office as she worked in postal in the last couple years when in the air force, and her dad was the postmaster.

"It was interesting, everyone knew you and you knew everyone."

Ted and Wallace lived on the farm together until 1983 before moving into a house they built in town - leaving the farm to their son David to live in.

While they moved in to town. Ted said Wallace kept going out to work on the farm with his son.

Following their retirement, Ted and Wallace spent ten weeks exploring Europe in 1977, basing themselves out of England during the trip and visiting other countries from there.