June 19 2019 marked Mary’s 100th birthday which makes her an eligible recipient of a congratulatory letter from her royal highness, Queen Elizabeth II – a feat that Mary felt was incredulous according to her granddaughter.
“I’ve been insisting to nan ever since she I was 12 that she would get a letter from the queen one day, and now I’ve won that bet,” Ms Morgan said.
“She would always respond with, ‘oh no darling I’m not going to live that long.’”
“She’s only conceded over the last six months that I might win.”
On request, Government House will arrange for a congratulatory message to be sent from both The Queen and the Governor-General to persons celebrating their 100th, 105th and subsequent birthdays.
Born Mary Shaw, the fourth generation Rutherglen woman has lived in the town her whole life, where she married Henry Buckingham and the pair had two sons together.
Sandra said she has fond memories of spending most of her school holidays with Mary and the two of them have always shared a special bond.
“She didn’t have any daughters and I was her only granddaughter, so we’ve always had a very close relationship, Nan and I.
“Her company has always been so grounding, I can be having the worst day but as soon as I walk in the door and see her, my mood changes instantly,” she said.
“She’s always been a loving and loyal woman, she’s magic.”
Ms Buckingham has always been a woman of simple pleasures and one set in her routine.
She loves to cook and sew, and Thursdays are only for shopping whereas Friday is for cleaning.
Yet Mary would sometimes deviate from her methodical lifestyle and do things that were very uncharacteristic of a woman who refused to fly by plane.
“Nan will often do things you won’t expect,” Sandra said.
“At Christmas she always went home after lunch for a sleep and then came back for tea. This particular year my brother, half-jokingly, asked her if she wanted a ride back on his motor bike.
“She responded with ‘oh alright, but I’m not wearing that hat,’ when referring to the helmet, and off they went.”
Ms Buckingham was surrounded by friends and family at Karinya Aged Care for her centennial celebration.
With a cup a tea in hand, which her son Keith attributes to her longevity, along with a grand birthday cake and her beautiful family, it appeared nobody had ever been so happy to lose a bet.