One of St George’s famous centenarians Dorothy De Low has died at 103.
Mrs De Low was one of the world’s oldest competing table tennis players.
The Hurstville great-grandmother travelled the world for many years, competing in world table tennis championships and winning numerous medals.
Her longevity and energy resulted in championship organisers creating an over-80s category to accommodate her.
Mrs De Low’s son, Peter, 71, said, ‘‘She had a very good life and had done particularly well living on her own for so many years.
‘‘She enjoyed particularly good health up until Novemvber. We will miss her. She was with us for such a long time,’’ he said.
‘‘She was always going out and drove until she was 100. This made it more difficult but she still got out a lot.’’
Mrs De Low’s table tennis playing gained world recognition.
After one tournament, she was invited to appear on the David Letterman Show in New York but she turned down the offer to get home to her garden.
She created a media sensation in 2006 when Merrick and Rosso from radio station Nova FM challenged Mrs De Low, then 95, to a game — which she won.
Mrs De Low was born in England and came to Australia with her family when she was two.
‘‘We came to Australia in the same year the Titanic went down [1912],’’ she once said. ‘‘We could have been on that ship.’’
Mrs De Low was still playing table tennis on Thursday nights at Kogarah RSL Table Tennis Club when she celebrated her 103rd birthday last October.
She said able tennis had kept her fit — definitely.
Although still in competition, she said she was no longer ambitious.
‘‘I just play for enjoyment,’’ she said.
Her funeral will be held at 1pm on Monday, February 3, in Woronora Crematorium’s south chapel, Sutherland.
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