Schoenies resident turns 100

Village marks same age this year as long-time inhabitant

IT is not often you get to celebrate a three-figure, milestone birthday in your home village which is turning the same age as you are. But that is what long-time Schoenmakerskop resident Mary Gooseman and the village are doing by marking their 100th birthdays this year.

One of The Herald’s oldest and most loyal readers – and a former long-time distribution agent, too – Gooseman was treated to lunch at the historic St George’s Club, surrounded by her family and friends, to celebrate as she turned 100 yesterday.

Gooseman, who has been living in Schoenmakerskop for 92 years, took over the task of helping distribute The Herald from another resident, Joan Dollery, more than 50 years ago – in 1962.

The sprightly, sparkly-eyed centenarian, who only stopped her newspaper job six years ago, had a system in the earlier years where The Herald and Weekend Post were collected from a special blank rubbish bin hidden under a tree at her gate.

Later, the newspapers were placed on the steps of her stoep, with people only taking what they paid for.

Gooseman, who was born in Port Elizabeth, attended Collegiate Girls School, where she excelled in tennis, gymnastics and sport as a whole.

Sitting in her wheelchair, the doyenne of The Herald agents said: “My favourite section of The Herald is the sport pages because I just love tennis and even received my South African colours in it when I used to play.”

Fellow Schoenies resident and Sacramento Restaurant owner Rheta Taylor said she had been friends with Gooseman for almost 20 years.

“I was one of the people who got their paper from Mary’s bin and she’s just remarkably sharp.

“You can talk about anything with her because she cares about others and, for her birthday, I planted a tree in her garden just to show my appreciation,” she said.

Taylor said because Schoenies was such a small community, people looked to Gooseman for advice.

On her birthday, Gooseman was in high spirits thanks to the large contingent of family from overseas, including her two children, son Robert Gooseman and daughter Margaret van Renen, and her three grandchildren.

She also has a great-grandson. Her husband, Harry, died in 1989. To end off her birthday week on a high note, Gooseman will join her Schoenies family for a high tea at the Sappershoek Hall tomorrow.