EILEEN Thompson has spent a lifetime helping other people and while being "a good age" has slowed her down, it hasn't stopped her selfless community spirit.
Last week Ms Thompson celebrated her 100th birthday at Avondale Nursing Home where she still knits squares to help impoverished people in third world countries.
The former nurse was showered with messages of congratulations including those from the Queen, the Governor General Quentine Bryce, Prime Minister Julia Gillard, NSW Premier Kristine Keneally plus respective federal and state members, Greg Combet and Greg Piper.
At a special party Ms Thompson and guests watched a 'this is your life' power point slide show compiled by her daughter Lynette Baird.
Born in Western Australia in 1910, Ms Thompson trained to be a nurse at 'The San' in Wahroonga, graduating in 1934 before completing midwifery training at Queen Victoria Hospital in Melbourne in 1935.
She and her husband Leonard, who was the first man in Australia to gain the Male Nursing Diploma, moved to Papua New Guinea but were shipped out on the last two vessels from Rabaul in 1941 under threat from the invading Japanese.
In 1975 Ms Thompson gained the distinction of becoming the first woman to be selected to serve on the hitherto all-male WA Church's Executive Board.
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