Clarence Valley resident Isabel Jean Connolly, known to her loved ones as Jean, recently celebrated her 100th birthday.

Born in Maclean on August 6, 1924, to Owen and Kathleen Connolly (nee Powell), she was the nineth of 14 children (12 girls and two boys), and initially lived with her family at Shark Creek before her parents purchased a dairy farm at Palmers Island.

Growing up on the land, she walked three miles to and from school during the week and was particularly close to her younger siblings Irene, Betty, and Gertie.

In the 1940s, Jean and her family moved to Maclean before later relocating to Grafton in 1963.

Jean has always believed in living an active life and played tennis regularly when she was growing up.

Her other great love is having a punt on the horses, and she regularly attended the July Racing Carnival each year.

Jean always refers to a road trip she did in 1979 with her nephew Richard Pryor and sisters Betty Connolly and Vera Mackay to the Northern Territory as a highlight as she was able to attend the Darwin Cup and visit famous landmarks including Uluru, Katherine Gorge, and the Devils Marbles.

During the road trip, she also enjoyed sightseeing around Alice Springs and the West McDonnel Ranges.

Jean never married or had children, and she devoted her life to looking after her four disabled siblings, the last of whom passed away in 1978.

To Jean, home was always about family, and she enjoyed many large family gatherings.

Her many nieces and nephews were like her own children.

Jean continued living at home until four months ago when she went into care at St Catherines Residential Aged Care in Grafton.

She is the last surviving sibling after two of her sisters passed away within 10 days of each other in 2020.

Jean celebrated her 100th birthday with a party at St Catherine Residential Aged Care, and a large family gathering at the Crown Hotel Motel in Grafton.

Both occasions featured a birthday cake, and Jean proudly shared the well wishes she received from King Charles III, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, NSW Premier Chris Minns, Governor-General of Australia Samantha Mostyn, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC, KC, Governor of NSW, Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives Milton Dick, Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan, Member for Clarence Richie Williamson, and Clarence Valley Council (CVC) Mayor Peter Johnstone.