Spicer family talkin about five generations

Werribee's Dorothy Achen (sitting) holding her great-great-grandaughter Haley Joy surrounded by three other generations of her family. (supplied) 391099_01

There are family get-togethers and then there’s what Werribee’s Spicer family experienced on Sunday February 18.

Coming from Werribee and parts of country Victoria, the Spicer’s got together to visit

family matriarch, 92 year old Dorothy Anchen, at her home at Glendale aged care home.

The reason for the visit was so Dorothy could finally meet her family’s latest addition, four month old Hayley Joy.

Not only was it the first time the whole Spicer family had been together since Haylee Joy’s birth on October 5 last year, but it was their first gathering as a family spanning a remarkable five generations.

Bringing Haylee Joy to meet her great-great-grandmother on that Sunday was her 25 year old mother, Tracey Lee of Broadford, Tracey’s 45 year old father, Mark Spicer of Werribee and his 73 year old father and Dorothy’s son, Graham Spicer, also of Werribee.

Also there was Dorothy’s daughter and Graham Spicer’s sister, Gail Makinson, she too of Werribee.

Unsurprisingly, Ms Makinson said her mother was thrilled with the visit.

“Oh mum was just overjoyed. She lives for her family,” she said.

Having five generations of the one family alive at the same time is a rarity, though in the case of Ms Makinson, not so much.

Remarkably, it’s not even the first instance in her own family.

“My daughter was a fifth generation when she was born through my husband’s side,” she said.

“I’m hoping longevity runs in the family.”

It seems pretty clear that it does.

Cade Lucas.