By XAVIER SMERDON
HOPPERS Crossing’s Keith Watts can still remember World War 1, when as a child he was taken to watch the soldiers march off to war.
Last week, Mr Watts celebrated his 100th birthday with a glass of whisky and a piece of cake.
The centurion told Star he never thought he would make it to the landmark age.
“I remember when I was 30 thinking, ‘gee, I’m really getting old and over the hill now’,” Mr Watts said.
“I don’t feel any different now that I’m 100, except I’m stronger now than I was 100 years ago.”
While Mr Watts spent most of his life in the northern and eastern suburbs of Melbourne, he is now living at Sunrise Supported Living in Hoppers Crossing.
As he celebrated his birthday last Thursday, Mr Watts reminisced about his two children, eight grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren.
“Some of my grandchildren now have grandchildren,” he said.
As far as the secret to a long life goes, Mr Watts said there was no legitimate answer, but he still liked to joke about what made him live so long.
“You have to be very lucky to live this long,” he said.
“Choose the right parents and marry a good cook. And drink good whisky.”
He said along with raising his family, his fondest memories were of the people he had worked with over the years when he was a development engineer.
Mr Watts only gave up driving three years ago and amazingly does not require hearing aids or glasses.
