A MAN who recently celebrated his 100th birthday had to go to work when he was 14 after leaving St Benedict's School, Broadway.
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He went to work so he could support his mother and nine younger siblings, and was 21 when he met his future wife, Beryl.
Mr MacRae bought a house in Penshurst before getting married so that Beryl would have more space than she had in Redfern.
After joining Glebe Rowing Club in 1933 he won many championships, and was still rowing when he was 85, and this was also when he won his last gold medal.
The couple stayed in the same house all their married lives.
At 28 Mr MacRae enlisted in the air force and went to Tarakan in Borneo and Morotai, Indonesia.
The fitter-armourer worked on Kittyhawks, Spitfires and other aircraft.
After his wife's death in 2006 he stayed in his home by himself until 3½ ago when he moved to John Paul Village, Heathcote, where he has lived since then.
They raised six children who in turn gave them 22 grandchildren.
There are now 43 great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren and another descendent on the way.
