Bullocky, soldier, builder, technician; 101yo Max’s incredible life

WAR veteran Max Ramsey certainly dressed the part for his 101st birthday celebrations at Whiddon Laurieton.

Wearing his favourite red bow tie and suspenders, and matching cardigan, Max enjoyed the occasion surrounded by family, fellow residents and Whiddon staff.

“Max was all smiles as he was presented with a gourmet birthday hamper filled with rocky road, chocolates and a luxurious black robe for comfort,” a Whiddon spokesperson said.

Max was born in 1924 in Pambula, in the South Coast’s Bega Valley, and spent his youth in a small coastal town called Bimbaya.

At just 16-years-old, he drove his own bullock team to transport essential supplies to remote areas.

He enlisted to serve during WWII and spent four years overseas, returning with an immense gratitude for life.

Max fell in love with his future wife, Shirley, in the 1940s.

They moved to Laurieton in the 1950s and shared six children and 71 years together before Shirley passed away.

Their only surviving child, Brenda Lee, was on hand for her father’s celebration on Tuesday 6 May.

Max built a career as a Master Builder, hand-picking and purchasing homes for each of his children to ensure they had a solid start in life.

His love of craftsmanship also saw him build horse-drawn vehicles and shearing sheds, and aeroplane instruments as a certified Aircraft Instrument Technician.

His favourite memories include hiring his first boat in Laurieton for 10 shillings, and catching seven flathead on his first trip out.

He also remembers the day he fell off a horse in the dark, and survived the horse then falling on him.

Max, whose favourite meal is a “good yearling steak,” says his secret to a happy life is “good food, work you enjoy, and sleeping well”.

He still exercises up to three times a day, reads regularly, listens to the radio and keeps up with current events.

By Sue STEPHENSON