Love of craft and cooking for Murray Bridge centenarian Mrs Patricia Marsden
A ‘fabulous mum’ and devoted wife who enjoys the quiet life, Mrs Patricia Marsden will celebrate her 100th birthday on 7 September.
A resident of Resthaven Murray Bridge, Patricia has lived in the rural city since 2014, becoming a well-loved and supportive member of the community, particularly in the Bridge City Church congregation.
Patricia grew up in Coburg, Victoria, the only child of Alma and William Reid. Alma worked for Rowntree chocolates as a hand dipper, so Patricia was introduced to the treat at an early age (and chocolate is still one of her favourite foods to this day!). Patricia married in her early 20s and moved to New South Wales. Sadly, the marriage didn’t last, and in 1947, when her daughter Denise was just 10 days old, Patricia returned to Melbourne to live with support from her family.
As a single mother, life wasn’t easy for Patricia. She worked hard to bring up Denise and took a job at a local engineering firm where she worked on the factory floor, operating a lathe. She and the owner, Victor (Vic) Marsden, fell in love and in 1956, the pair were married.
A move to SA
Patricia and Vic lived in Ivanhoe, Victoria, in the early years of their marriage, and in 1961 a second daughter, Cheryl was born.
Patricia held a love for South Australia after holidaying in the state and said to her husband that they should move to the city of churches.
Vic sold the business and the family moved to Belair, where Denise went to Blackwood High School.
‘Mum had a beautiful garden at Belair,’ Denise says. ‘It was full of roses and other flowers. She would often be out there keeping things tidy and looking beautiful.’
As well as gardening, Patricia was an excellent cook.
‘She adored cooking and held aspirations to attend the Emily McPherson College of Domestic Economy in Victoria,’ Denise says.
As they say, life got in the way and sadly Patricia never enrolled. However, her cooking was often remarked on by family and friends, with her handmade chocolate cups, filled with coconut macaroons, almond meal, raspberry jam and a touch of sherry, served with strawberries and cream, a perennial favourite.
‘People would swoon for them,’ Denise says. ‘She was also a magnificent cake decorator, and at birthdays we would always have the most amazing cakes!’
Not ones to stay still, the family moved several times to suburbs such as Wattle Park, Rosslyn Park, Burnside, Glenunga and Mitchell Park. In some instances, the family purchased a home that was already built, and in other instances, Vic had the homes architecturally designed and built.
‘All of our houses had beautiful gardens, which my mum worked tirelessly to maintain,’ Denise says. ‘They had such beautiful flowers.’
In the 1980s, Patricia took the trip of a lifetime to Hawaii with Cheryl and Vic. Sadly, Vic died in 1993.
Creating beauty
As well as gardening, cooking and keeping a beautiful home, Patricia was an avid knitter. She joined the C-Days craft group at Burnside, and Denise still wears many of the jumpers made by her mum around 40 years ago.
‘She was a very talented knitter, and the quality of her work is amazing,’ Denise says. ‘She made beautiful jumpers – including Fair Isle and cable patterns.’
Patricia will celebrate her 100th birthday with a small party with Denise and other members of the Bridge City Church. Happy Birthday Patricia! We hope you enjoy your day.