- Council
Treasured Betty celebrates 100 years
11/06/2025
Samela Harris is a South Australian journalist and author, and, among other things, has been an Aged Care Visitor Volunteer with the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters for more than one year.
A local resident herself, Samela regularly visits Betty Spargo at Estia in Toorak Gardens and recently joined the special celebrations that marked Betty’s 100th birthday milestone.
Samela took a moment to reflect on these celebrations and Betty’s legacy through the lens of a friendship that formed and flourished through the joys of though volunteering.
What a sweet day it was, the day that Betty Spargo turned 100.
Betty is one of the most popular residents of Estia, Toorak Gardens and, needless to say, she has a family which loves and respect her converged on the big day.
Hence, sons and daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren and even a great-great packed into the Estia lounge to party with her.
From different states they came. Five generations all there together! In a reunion of collective Bettyness.
Macular Degeneration has robbed Betty of her eyesight but not of her ability to hear and talk - so everyone took turns to have some special Betty time and describe to her the amazing abundance of flowers, cards and balloons which surrounded her.
Plus cakes and birthday treats. And a card from the King.
Betty says no one could be more surprised than she to be 100.
She doesn’t know quite how it happened.
But she has just kept living, although there is a lonely element when you think of all the loved ones gone before, siblings and her husband, Norm.
She recalls prime years living at Ashton with Norm.
Spargos were pioneer settlers there, the original family house built in 1898 still stands. Norm had a market garden and Betty remembers good old fashioned hard work.
Their gardening neighbours were cherry orchardists Sir Tom and Lady Playford.
The Playfords attended their wedding in 1946. Sir Tom was of course to be the State’s longest serving Premier.
Norman and Tom were behind the Norton Summit Baptist Church and cemetery and are now in it.
Betty plans to join them there, when the time comes.
Meanwhile, she says she feels safe in the embrace of Estia with her doting family in frequent contact.
Life has not always been smooth, but Betty tries to guide her mind from negative memories to feel grateful for the happy experiences.
She is well travelled and has high-achiever descendants all over the place. She’s rightly proud to tell their stories.
They are the legacy she leaves as Mrs Norman Spargo. A significant legacy to her country.
She has myriad tales to tell of the century behind her but, then again, she is a curious person and is genuinely interested in the people around her and what is happening in the world.
She can’t see us, but she knows who’s who and she knows our stories because she has asked.
This outward thinking may well be one reasons for her longevity and why she is so popular at Estia.
There aren’t a lot of Bettys in this world.
We all consider her a treasure.
Find out more about the Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme via our website: ACVVS
Pictured above: Five generations — Betty Spargo, her eldest daughter Cheryl, first grandchild Susannah, first great granddaughter Ashlee and her first great great granddaughter Amity at Estia, Toorak Gardens. (Photo supplied)