An Australian woman who will turn 100 in three months says there are two key secrets to a long and happy life: an open-minded attitude and a keen interest in other people.
Lorraine Kaemphel, 99, is a Coffs Harbour legend and will soon be a member of the centenary club.
The grandmother of ten and great-grandmother of 18 spoke to FEMAIL ahead of her big day about love, health, diet secrets and her lifelong passion for tap dancing.
Ms Kaemphel, born in 1924 at Binnaway, near Dubbo, New South Wales, was one of four siblings and is the last surviving child. She also survived two husbands.
Lorraine clearly remembers the death of Queen Mary, widow of King George V, in 1953. She was 45 when man first set foot on the moon in 1969.
Her radiant complexion is thanks to a simple “soap and water” routine, and although she is not against Botox, she has never used it.
“She can’t even see properly, but she always looks beautifully put together,” said her granddaughter, Chantel Camilleri, proudly.
When Lorraine attended Chantel’s wedding in 2004, she was the last person left on the dance floor at 2am, earning her the nickname “the dancing granny”.
Lou Vacher, Chantel Camilleri and nanny Lorraine Kaemphel, who was the last to leave the dance floor at 2 a.m. at Chantel’s wedding, earning her the nickname “dancing grandma.”
Lorraine Kaemphel clearly remembers her 99 years of life, and even remembers being sick as a baby one Christmas (pictured here, at her 99th birthday party).
The 99-year-old still gets up and puts on makeup and does her hair every day, but she hasn’t washed or blow-dried her hair in years and prefers to leave that to the hairdresser.
‘I don’t drink or smoke, but I do comb my hair.’
The beloved mother has four daughters (the eldest is 80 years old) and a close-knit extended family, some of whom live nearby and who couldn’t be more proud of their “nana.”
‘I am very blessed, I have four daughters that I love and they love me, the love of family is everything… loving your family is important,’ she said.
She said her life philosophy is best summed up by something she heard on The Bold and The Beautiful the other day: “Growing older is a privilege that not everyone gets to experience.”
The mother of four couldn’t be more proud of her daughters and all their families who manage to stay together and get along, visiting their grandmother frequently.
Lorraine says her first marriage to Ray Miller at the tender age of 18 was one of life’s mistakes.
“I was too young, but it was during the war and everyone was getting married,” she said.
But she is still grateful for having been blessed with three “lovely” daughters.
The second time she was lucky with Max Kaemphel, of German origin, who unsuccessfully tried to get her to start drinking alcohol, but who brought back her love for dancing, which she had always enjoyed.
“I love dancing. When I was seven or eight, a lady came to town. She had two daughters my age and she was a tap dance teacher,” she said.
Lorraine returned to dancing at the age of 70 after taking two lessons when she was eight.
‘I charged 10 cents a lesson and I had two classes where I learned to shuffle. Then the teacher left town… with someone else’s husband.’
It wasn’t until she was 70, long after her husband’s tragic death from a heart attack while he was standing in the backyard talking to her, that she decided the time was right to put on her dancing shoes.
Lorraine is a regular participant in the tap dancing classes, attending three times a week with a group of 16 other women.
Her teacher Julie Ross is inspired by Lorraine’s enthusiasm for life and always places her in the second row so that her poor vision does not prevent her from following the movements.
“She still loves dressing up in our different themed costumes for our concerts, which range from Can Can, Irish Modern or Skeletons,” he said.
Lorraine and her second husband loved dancing and going to balls, but he could not convince her to start drinking regularly.
As her doctor wheeled her in for triple bypass surgery at age 76, he noticed that even while on the gurney, Lorraine’s nimble, dancing feet were tapping to music only she could hear beneath the sheet.
The 99-year-old never imagined she would live this long when she was younger, and her longevity has a lot to do with diet, exercise and a lifelong interest in people.
“In the summer I eat salad,” he said.
Although she once thought a salad was a slice of cold cuts and a couple of slices of cucumber and tomato, her German husband introduced her to the delights of potato and pasta salads and she has been experimenting with vegetables ever since.
“I still like to cook my own meals, although it sometimes worries my daughters,” the great-grandmother said.
She still speaks sadly about the loss of her second husband after nearly 30 years of marriage, and has fond memories of their time together at balls and parties (she is pictured here in her mid-40s).
Lorraine has never been a fan of common vices either.
“I never wanted to drink or smoke, even though cigarettes were in fashion. I never liked the effect they produced. I tried it, but I never liked it,” he said.
Ms. Kaemphel said that before she started dancing, she walked absolutely everywhere. When she had no vision problems, she also played a little tennis casually.
But it was at the suggestion of her hairdresser that she began receiving regular acupuncture treatments at the age of 85, and has continued to do so ever since.
She swears by the ancient Chinese technique for helping her cope with osteoporosis and a triple heart bypass, and for allowing her to attend dance classes.
Lorraine has several great-grandchildren, Violet Vacher follows in her grandmother’s footsteps with a penchant for dance.
But it’s a genuine interest in people that keeps her young at heart.
“I don’t like gossip, but ‘I love talking and meeting people,’ she said.
“I go to the hairdresser’s every Friday and I talk to everyone on the bus. The young people who talk on their phones don’t look at you.”
Lorraine, who never misses an opportunity to connect, criticised one of her great-granddaughter’s boyfriends for having his head buried in his phone when he came to visit.
She remembers every detail she learns about the people she strikes up conversations with, and often surprises them with her incredible memory of everything they’ve discussed.
Ms Kaemphel was one of the lucky few who never had Covid and still lives in her own home in Toormina, where she has been for the past 27 years.
He laughs at how ridiculous the price of food and rent has become in recent decades, and says there are too many changes in Australia to keep up with.
Her 100th birthday is fast approaching on November 12, with a huge celebration planned and family and friends flying in from all over the country.
Like any party girl about to celebrate, she is on the hunt for the perfect outfit and has already planned a dance performance with her friends for her guests.
Ms Kaemphel, who still remembers having pink eye one Christmas as a baby and has lived through several eras in history, said she is still proud of Australia today.
But he had a message for Australians.
“I just wish everyone could love everyone, no matter what color their skin is, it doesn’t matter. Don’t get hung up on politics or religion,” she said.
She said we need to remember to open up to people, be more friendly, and even turn off the news at night when there’s a story we don’t need to hear.
The heart surgeon’s advice to Lorraine probably best sums up her life and her message: “Keep dancing.”
And she’s proven that you’re never too old to start.
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