Sheila Llewelyn was a teenager, living in Melbourne, when WWII broke out.
Sheila Llewelyn has done it all, from surviving the fallout of World War II in Melbourne to joining the Pink Ladies in Wahgunyah, marrying the love of her life on the way and living it up with best girlfriend Gwen in their 80’s.
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This week she celebrates that rarest of milestones, her 100th birthday, and still lives alone, doing things for herself.
Sheila is looking forward to the day with a giddy mix of excitement and anxiousness.
“I’m scared,” Sheila said.
“The girls (her daughters) don't tell me too much, they're a little bit sneaky.
“I just can’t believe I’m going to be 100; it’s a great age to be and I’m still reasonably healthy.”
Sheila with her daughters Jenny and Christine.
Sheila was 13 and living in Melbourne when the war broke out in 1939.
She said it was an uncertain time around the country as there was always the threat that Australia was going to be bombed.
“Dad had to build a dug out in the backyard in case anything happened,” she said.
“We had issued black material through the government to put up to the windows so there was no there was no light visible from the street.
“Still, as teenagers, went out and we used to have dances at the church hall.
“One of the dads had a car, and he used to go into the service club and bring out the servicemen who were in Melbourne on leave, so we had dancing partners.”
Sheila and Reg on their wedding day with bridal party Stan Ireland, Norma Griffin, Nancy Jones and Allan Williams.
Sheila met her husband Reg before the war through a girlfriend who was a neighbour of his mother, and they corresponded through the war years before getting together again in 1945.
Reg joined the air force when he was 18, serving in the Pacific Islands for four years with the Americans as a radio serviceman, just behind the lines.
On November 12, 1949, Sheila married the love of her life, someone she describes as a very patient man.
“You couldn't argue with him, because he would never argue,” Sheila said.
“He always said the more I argue, the more ammunition I gave him’.
“We had very happy marriage.”
The couple lived in Melbourne until retirement brought them to Wahgunyah in 1985, where Sheila stayed after Reg’s passing in 1998.
“In those days there wasn’t much in Wahgunyah,” Sheila said.
“We had a lovely view of the river; we joined the bowling club, because we were bowlers, and had a very active life in the club.
“I joined the Pink Ladies and we used to do the flowers at the hospital.
“I was the Secretary of Meals on Wheels, and I played the organ in the local church for over 30 years, right up to Covid.”
Sheila has two daughters, Jenny and Christine, and with five grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, and six great, great grandchildren, a lot of whom live in the area, she has been kept busy over the years.
Sheila nursing great great grandson Harvey.
Among her fondest memories are her adventures with girlfriend Gwen.
They travelled a lot together, including many cruises, until Gwen passed last September.
One of Sheila’s favourite trips was when they were in their 80s, driving across the mountains to get to the Pacific Highway on their way up to Woolgoolga, near Coffs Harbour, just so they could go bowling.
“We had some great holidays, Gwen and I,” Sheila said.
“I've had a very interesting life, and I've done lots of things.
