Mary Stokes is still full of life at 90, celebrating her birthday on April 21 in true style and good spirits.
She doesn’t credit any grand secret to reaching such a milestone – just a simple philosophy of taking each day as it comes and enjoying every moment along the way.
On April 19, Mary marked the occasion with a celebration held in her honour at The Club Beaudesert, where she was surrounded by more than 120 family members and friends.
“I felt like I was high on my life – I couldn’t believe how it went,” she said.
Her home is now overflowing with cards and flowers, a testament to the affection so many hold for her.
90 years of memories
A lifelong Beaudesert local, Mary grew up with six siblings and still treasures time with her brother Phil and sister Margaret.
She attended the former Brooklands State School for 12 months before continuing at St Mary’s through to Year 6.
At 13, she began working at Café Rose where she soon met her husband Leslie, who passed away in 2001.
Together, they raised nine children – Ronald (Jimmy), who passed away at aged 2, followed by Colin, Susan, Caron, Stephen, Patrick, Gail, Peter and Leigh.
Mary embraced her role as a devoted mother, known for her welcoming home, warm hugs and unwavering support for family and friends alike.
She gave decades to her community, volunteering for 30 years at the old St Vincent de Paul (Vinnies) store in Beaudesert and spending 22 years helping in the St Mary’s tuckshop.
Her commitment was recognised in 2013 when she received the Beaudesert Chamber of Commerce Jewel of the Rim award.
These days, Mary enjoys scenic drives through the region, completing puzzles and watching the footy – she’s a passionate Broncos supporter.
Leigh jokes that her mum “couldn’t live without Kayo”, given her love of sport.
Looking ahead, Mary still has dreams of travel, hoping to visit England to see where her father grew up or explore the countryside of Canada.
Surrounded by family, cherished by her community and still dreaming of new places to see, Mary proves that a full life only gets richer with age.
