Grannies turn 100 – on both sides of family

Married couples generally have lots in common including similar interests, mutual life goals, and complementary career aspirations. However, they don’t often have their maternal grandmothers both turning 100 years old in the same year, one month apart.

For Greg and Debbie Hack, this special and rare milestone took place when Greg’s grandmother, Selma “Billie” Sack, turned 100 on 9 June, and Debbie’s grandmother, Lily Isaacman, turned 100 on 29 July.

Selma Sack (née Malitskie), who was born in Vereeniging south of Johannesburg on 9 June 1924, celebrated turning three digits with friends and family. She says she has no plans of slowing down. A former music teacher, Sack credits her longevity to a healthy dose of exercise to keep her body and mind active. She’s an avid bridge player and crossword puzzle fundi, and she also enjoyed playing golf and bowls in years gone by.

Born to English parents, Sack gets naches from her three daughters, eight grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren.

Melrose resident and knitting machine Lily Isaacman (née Band) was born in Johannesburg on 29 July 1924. Known for her sharp sense of humour, Isaacman has a love for cooking and baking that has never waned. With an ever-increasing brood of descendants, she enjoys seeing her three children, six grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren thrive.

Both centenarians agreed that exercise, keeping busy, staying away from drama, and striving to make the people around you happy are the best ingredients for a long and healthy life.

“We’re extremely blessed,” says Greg. “To have four generations all here in South Africa to celebrate these milestones is amazing.

“Though our children have yet to grasp that they have two great-grandmothers over 100, we feel lucky and look forward to sharing more simchas with them in the future.”