Flying high to celebrate service and milestone birthday

A massive belated happy birthday to one of our donors Patricia Hay, from Whyalla who turned 100 last October. 

To mark the occasion and to honour her service to the British Airforce in World War II, the Australian Defence Force organised a ride in the Royal Australian Airforce helicopter. 

“I enjoyed every minute of it,’’ she said. 

“When I was 90 I wanted to do a parachute jump but my doctor wouldn’t let me.’’ 

Mrs Hay had worked in catering during the war and it was during this service she met her future husband Fred Hay. They were separated during the war, but the couple stayed in touch with letters and care packages. 

The care packages were items from their service ration kits and after the war they were reunited in the UK. They married and had three children – Bill, Fred and Rita. 

They migrated to Australia in 1956 and became small business owners, running a butcher store at different locations around Adelaide.  The couple were also active members of the Marion Returned Services League and would regularly make donations to various charities. However, after Fred died in 2009 Mrs Hay stopped donating to other charities but kept donating to MESHA. 

“I felt people needed support after being in the army,’’ she said. 

“After Fred died, I couldn’t donate to all of them but I kept donating to MESHA.’’ 

Mrs Hay has three children, eight grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. 

Thank you Mrs Hay!  – for your donations over the years to the Military and Emergency Services.