In fact, she lists singing karaoke as of one of the main ingredients of a long and happy life.
Bella was born in the building where the police station is situated now, on May 17 1922 and has lived in Annan ever since.
She was educated at Greenknowe Public School, which eventually merged with Annan Academy in 1921.
Bella started working in 1936 when she was only 14 years old, at the Wilson Brother’s grocery store. Her next job was in the seafood business and finally she was employed at the old picture house for nearly a decade.
In addition, during WWII Bella worked in the munitions factory, driving ammunition around in a giant buggy.
She has a son, James, daughter in law Fiona and granddaughter Erin.
Bella is amazingly healthy for a centenarian, having only been to hospital once in her life.
Furthermore, she doesn’t need any help getting up on her own, she cooks and cleans without any assistance, and she regularly exercises. During her celebration party at the Commercial Inn on Monday she entered the pub and did a jig!
During the afternoon a stream of entertainers and well-wishers popped in to see her, including the Royal Burgh of Annan pipe band, councillor Richard Brodie and community councillor Joyce Wylie.
Bella believes that the invention that changed her life the most was the karaoke machine, and it has been her favourite hobby for years.
She also puts her best decade as the 1940s, while her husband was still alive. He made a name for himself when he won a ballroom dancing competition in Dumfries and came first out of 500 people.
When asked about the secret to her long life and good health Bella stated that it was a mixture of two things, karaoke and Bacardi.
And finally, she gave a word of advice for the younger people living in Annan and across the UK: “Just enjoy yourselves.”
