Efstathia (Effie) Spiropoulos turned 100.
Born on 10 June 1920 during the period of the Turkish/Greek war of Asia Minor and in the aftermath of the Spanish Flu pandemic, Kyria Effie is now continuing to live through the COVID-19 pandemic.
On her birthday, Kyria Effie received a congratulatory birthday card from the queen, one from Prime Minister Scott Morrison and another from the Governor General. Her house was filled with beautiful bouquets of flowers from well-wishers, family and friends.
COVID-19 restrictions did not allow for the family to gather together for the special milestone. Instead, her birthday celebrations, just before Stage Four lockdown, were extended to a period of more than three weeks giving every member of her large family of seven children and their spouses, 22 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren an opportunity to visit according to the lighter restrictions.
“Thinking back, we were lucky that there was a window of opportunity that allowed us to meet in restricted numbers unlike the situation right now,” her daughter Stavroula Spiropoulos said.
Celebrations started with a barbeque the Sunday before her birthday at the house of her first-born son Paul Spiropoulos in Kew with his children and grandchildren dropping in one at a time. On her actual birthday, Wednesday 10 June, additional members of her family dropped in with gifts, flowers and a celebratory lunch as well as a birthday cake. Other members of her family dropped in for afternoon tea with more birthday cake and sweet delights.
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Happy times
Waiting for great grandma.
Celebrating with her youngest child Tass Spiropoulos
Effie with her youngest great grandchild
Effie with her daughters.
Effie with her daughter.
Celebrating with Mum’s fifth child Georgina Vasiliadis and family.
Effie with some of her grand daughters
On the night of her birthday her son Kosta Spiropoulos organised to visit after school with his family, children and grandchildren, each grouped together in their nucleus groups lining up for their turn to enter Effie’s house ten at a time. Each nucleus household of mum’s extended family was synchronised and coordinated to come in and spend precious time celebrating this 100-year-old woman’s extraordinary milestone. To complete the celebrations, a week later, a barbeque was held at her granddaughter Efstathia’s house where more cake and birthday festivities were had.
The extended birthday festivities for this remarkable woman added cheer despite the doom and gloom of the COVID-19 Pandemic, just before the latest outbreaks which has particularly affected those in aged care.
At Athenas house
Selfies with gran
A rich history
Kyria Effie, however, is a survivor. She grew up during the Great Depression where she witnessed her father’s life savings lose value overnight. Thankfully, her parents were landowners and grew their own produce to ensure food was on the table. They kept a plate in the cupboard for people passing through her village in search of jobs, some who hadn’t eaten for days.
World War II brought with it even more devastation and terror. At 19, young Effie – the second of six siblings – worked with her older sister to keep the younger once safe while her parents worked hard to ensure they could provide the essentials for their family.
She got married just after WWII and gave birth to her eldest son, Paul, just before her husband went off to fight in the Civil War. She struggled to raise her son alone until the civil war was over in 1949. Luckily, her husband survived but food was scarce and the land was neglected.
“My darling mum had another six children making a total of seven of which I am the sixth. Mum had all her children at home without a doctor and with only a local woman acting as a midwife. We had no electricity and no water in the house. We had to go to the village square to get our daily water supply. Life was hard and mum and dad worked endlessly to support their large family,” Ms Spiropoulos said.
“I was too young to realise the hardships and only now can I appreciate what it must have been like. My older siblings tried to help on the land as much as they could but life was hard. I was shielded from the pain. For me I remember life so sweet. Childhood was so cosy and warm. I remember us huddled around the open fire place on cold, winter nights and mum telling us stories. The flames from the fire made pictures on the wall and the wind whistled through the land and we were warm and safe. Life was filled with love and kindness. We didn’t have any toys but who needs toys when you have nature to play with. We ran like the wind. We climbed trees, scaled the mountain, swam in the river and we were happy. But for my beautiful parents everyday was a struggle.”
Wanting a better life for their children, Effie and her husband uprooted the entire family in September 1964 to travel Down Under aboard the Patris with seven children aged from two to 16 years of age.
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Family portrait 1967
Effie and her three sons when they arrived to Australia from Greece 1964
Very soon, Australia became their new and preferred home. They bought a house at a new estate in Fawkner and began life as Australian citizens. “Mum still lives there and tells everyone that Fawkner is the best suburb in Australia,” Ms Spiropoulos said. “It’s walking distance to the school, it is close to the shops and walking distance to our church Agios Nectarios on Major Road. Our backyard was large and dad quickly grew his vegetables for his family.”
Their house, in a multicultural suburb, was filled with visitors, laughter and good times.
“Mum and dad would exchange homemade salami and vegetables over the fence and talk in broken English about their home land. We were truly a wonderful community where one always looked out for one another and celebrated together. The children from these households were always together and every day was an adventure,” Ms Spiropoulos remembered.
Kyria Effie would call her new homeland, a “paradise”. Unfortunately, she lost her husband 14 years ago and acknowledged his dying wish, which was to be buried in his beloved Greece. “Mum and her seven children took him back and laid him to rest where he was born, in a village that he adored and never forgot,” his daughter said.
As for Kyria Effie, at the grand old age of 100, she still lives in Fawkner at the same address.
“Our family has multiplied and we all live in different parts of Melbourne but Fawkner is always home and mum is the heart that draws us together,” Ms Spiropoulos said.
She reads Neos Kosmos three times a week and spends her time in the garden and tending to her chickens. “She has chickens purely because she cannot bear to throw away even one crumb of food. You walk with mum in her garden and you feel peace and contentment. She calms us. Her life has been filled with wars and hardships and yet she is so positive, generous and grateful for everything she has,” her daughter said.
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She is a walking history who has lived through amazing chapters of the last century. Greatly loved by her seven children and their spouses, twenty-two grandchildren and their spouses and twenty-nine great grandchildren. The entire family states, “We are blessed to have her with us.”
“Hopefully, God willing, we will all get through these difficult times unscathed and unharmed,” Ms Spiropoulos said. “And sometime in December, when things will be better, we will hire a hall, organise catering, hire a DJ, invite all our family and friends and celebrate together. We will listen to the wonderful Greek music blaring and we will dance to our hearts content celebrating not only mum’s 100th birthday but also life itself!”