Family ties key to Jula’s longevity

Aegis Shoalwater resident Jula Popovic celebrated her 100th birthday last Friday.

Ms Popovic moved to Australia as a refugee from Croatia in 1996, at the age of 77, along with her family.

She spent much of her life on a rural property in West Slavonija, where she lived with her husband Spasenija who died in 1991 in the Croatian war.

Ms Popovic said she was grateful to live in Australia and that her secret to living a long life was her “unique and strong family network” and a “Christian way of life”.

She has three children — Milenia, 81, Jelena, 77, and Stevan, 73, six grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grand children.

She was joined by 90 friends and family, some of whom travelled from Melbourne, for a birthday celebration on Saturday.