Words by Peter Condoleon, Interview by Andriana Simos.

Vasiliki Megaloconomos, better known as Bessie Conomos, has lived through the building of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Great Depression, two World Wars and more recently, being isolated in an aged care facility during the coronavirus pandemic.

But none are as special or as memorable as celebrating her 100th birthday on April 20 surrounding by 44 out of her 47 children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

“You couldn’t hold her back on the day and you know, the cards came from the Queen and the Governor General and she saw the photo of the Queen, which is a very, very young photo of her, and she goes, ‘Who are they trying to fool. She’s only five years younger than me!'” Diamanta Condoleon, Bessie’s daughter, tells The Greek Herald with a laugh.

It’s this sense of humour which Bessie has utilised throughout her entire life.

From Kythera to Australia:

Bessie was born in the village of Kato Livadi, Kythira on April 20, 1921. She was the eldest child and only daughter to Nicholas and Diamanta Gianniotis. She lived in a small house in the village with her parents, three aunties and her brother George.  

READ MORE: ‘Marry a younger woman’: 100-year-old Louis Ampoulos shares his secrets to living a long life.

She immigrated to Australia shortly before her seventh birthday, along with her mother and brother George. Her father had migrated to Sydney earlier. One of Bessie’s earliest memories is of an incomplete Sydney Harbour Bridge. 

As a child, Bessie would assist her parents on their poultry and later, vegetable farms. Every day after school she helped collect eggs and feed the chickens. During the Great Depression, Bessie and her family survived on food that grew on the family farm.

Her father, brother and herself used to get four suitcases, two big ones for her father to carry and two little suitcases for her brother George and herself to carry, fill them up with vegetables and go door to door selling them.

READ MORE: ‘A great Aussie success story’: Maria Boulas turns 100 years old and reflects on her life.

Married life in a country town:

In 1942, Bessie married Theo Conomos and moved to Carinda, NSW. Bessie often said Theo was a very big influence in her life because he taught her to be honest, truthful and hard working. It was in Carinda where they raised their family, Regina, Diamanta, Emmanuel and Nicholas.

Whilst living in Carinda, Bessie was a dedicated member of the Women’s Country Association for nearly 30 years and supporter of the Bush Nursing Association receiving recognition for her drive in both these worthy causes. 

“They were the only Greeks in the town… so it was very, very hard for her because her mum was in Sydney. But I can remember she had beautiful gardens and she was fun loving. We all got it from her,” Diamanta says.

The family moved to Dubbo in 1962 and it was there that Regina married Robert Hadgis in 1964, Diamanta married Arthur Condoleon in 1965 and Emmanuel married Dianne McGovern in 1971. Nicholas was to later marry Marylyn Dahingo in 2010.

READ MORE: ‘I have love for everyone’: Christina Giannakis turns 100 and shares her secret to a long life.

Bessie’s passion for volunteering:

In 1985, Theo and Bessie moved to Brisbane to be closer with their family. Theo passed away in 1987. Bessie then committed herself to volunteer work, firstly at the St Nicholas Nursing Home, caring, entertaining and being friendly to the elderly.

Later and together with Betty Comino, running a stall after Sunday church selling all sorts of sweets and goodies raising money for the Greek School and the Southside Parish. She also assisted with ‘Meals on Wheels’ delivering food to the elderly. 

“She did a lot of walking. After we moved here to Brisbane, the church is a couple of kilometres and she’d walk there and walk back. I’m talking in her 80s. She was always very, very active,” Diamanta explains.

It’s because of this constant activity and volunteer work that on Australia Day in 2009, Bessie was honoured with an Order of Australia (OAM) for services to the Greek community, particularly through organisations, providing assistance to the elderly and to the community of Carinda, NSW. 

Today, Bessie resides at the Carinity Wishart Gardens Residential Aged Care Facility in Brisbane. Diamanta says Bessie chose to move to a nursing home because “she didn’t want to be a bother to her family” – something which is incredibly important to her.

In fact, according to her grandson Peter, if Bessie were to look over her life right now, she’d say: “you don’t need things to make you happy. Family and friends is the true way of being happy. Happiness is love of family, friends, health and understanding give and take.”

Truer words have never been spoken.

READ MORE: 109-year-old Castellorizian, Eleni Confos, is the oldest Greek in Australia.

Only one of eight Australian karatekas – one for each division – get the chance to qualify for next month’s Tokyo Olympic Games, but that wasn’t going to stop karate heavyweight Maria Alexiadis OAM from taking her chance. 

“This is the first and likely the last time we will get to show off our sport on an Olympic stage,” she tells the Greek Herald off the back of her Olympic qualifier event in Paris.

“I feel extremely grateful and privileged to be in the position I am in and to be representing my country on the biggest stage for our sport,” she says.

Maria Alexiadis OAM is a Karate Victoria (KV) administrator, coach, and athlete, who says her work in the field of the ancient martial art is inspired by her journey in a male-dominated sport.

“[The Olympic qualifier is] a tall ask for Australian athletes in an amateur sport that is not funded in Australia, but we love what we do and dare to dream,” she says.

“…I feel like I can genuinely make a positive difference to the sport and lives of others.” 

Maria Alexiadis was recently recognised on the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for her 33-year strong run in competitive karate. 

“I honestly kept checking to see if the letter sent by the Governor General’s office was sent to the wrong person,” she recalls.

“To think that people took the time to nominate me for such an award is an altruistic act and an honour,” she says. 

Alexiadis is a highly accomplished athlete, awarded for her services to karate on a state, national, and international level, but says it is her Greek heritage which has helped shape her to be the person she is today. 

“I hope that the Greek Australian community are as proud and inspired by my recognition as I am of my Greek heritage,” she says. 

“Greek Australians have done and continue to do a lot of good for this amazing country of ours.”

“May this award continue to inspire and encourage people to work hard, persevere, aspire, and dream.” 

The best of both worlds 

Alexiadis says when she’s not kicking butt on the dojo, she’s researching a rare ovarian cancer at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne’s south-east. 

Granulosa cell tumours (GCT) of the ovaries are malignant, endocrine tumours – meaning they make and respond to hormones – which slowly develop over time. 

Hormones Australia says around 60 women in Australia will be diagnosed with GCT this year. 

Alexiadis’ work aims to identify the genetic factors which lead to this potentially fatal cancer and says sport and science “both help build stronger, healthier and happier communities”. 

“It isn’t easy balancing it all but I enjoy the different challenges each area brings, the problem solving and helping make a positive impact and difference to people’s lives,” she says. 

She says she hopes she will be remembered for being “kind, brave, compassionate, driven, and ambitious” in 10 years. 

“I hope I’m best remembered as… the person who really believed that impossible is nothing, who ‘walked the talk’, ignored the naysayers, and made a positive impact on the lives of others,” she says.