TLC Healthcare Celebrates 100th Birthday of Belmont Resident with Family and Friends

TLC Healthcare proudly celebrated the 100th birthday of Mercedes Crane, a cherished resident of The Belmont, on May 13th, surrounded by her loving family and friends. This special milestone was organised by Mercedes’ four children—Neville, Shirley, and Beryl, who reside in the Geelong region, and Sharon, who lives in Adelaide.

Mercedes was born in Murrayville, where she grew up on her family’s farm alongside three brothers. Despite finishing school in Year 8, she found fulfilment working on the farm and later at a local butcher shop. In her leisure time, she enjoyed playing tennis and bowls with close friends.

At the age of 20, Mercedes met her husband, Ron Crane, and they married in 1944. Together, they raised four children and moved to Geelong in 1961 to provide better educational opportunities for their family. Mercedes worked as a nurse’s aide at Grace McKellar until her retirement in the late 1980s. Both Mercedes and Ron were passionate about bowls, and Mercedes was honoured with a life membership at the Drumcondra Bowling Club.

After Ron’s passing in 2005, Mercedes continued to live in Herne Hill until she moved to TLC The Belmont in July 2022. She has enjoyed nearly two years at TLC Healthcare, surrounded by caring staff and making cherished memories with her six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Mercedes celebrated her 100th birthday with over 20 family and friends on May 13th at The Belmont. She was delighted to receive a Certificate of Congratulations from the Prime Minister and a card from King Charles and Queen Camilla, marking a century of a life well-lived.

TLC operates residential aged care homes, medical centres and registered training facilities located across Melbourne and Geelong. In 2023, TLC opened Australia’s first multi-generational healthcare precinct in the Melbourne suburb of Mordialloc, offering 147 residential aged care places, a community medical centre, a 118-place early learning centre, a commercial health club with 20m indoor swimming pool, and commercial café known as “The Village Café”; all in the one location.