Mary Bertoldo marked the occasion with family and friends, with some making the trip from as far afield as Melbourne and Gosford for the celebration.

Ms Bertoldo said she still feels good at 90 and keeps a keen interest in things happening around the city.

"I still keep an interest in everything," she said.

"I still go down to the Scalabrini [village] and I do knitting with the girls there... I have gone back to teaching scripture at the school, the children are lovely."

Born and bred in Hanwood - only a short distance from the home she has lived in for the past 50 years - Ms Bertoldo has spent a majority of her life in the city, with only a brief window living in Wollongong immediately after her marriage to her late husband Bruno.

"I remember the 18 months so well," Ms Bertoldo said.

"It was like a beautiful honeymoon, coming from Hanwood - hot and dusty - to living by the beach with blue water and sunny sands."

Ms Bertoldo returned to Griffith in 1951 after being tipped off by her sister to a chance to take over the Ingram Brothers Bakery on Banna Avenue, which would eventually be renamed to Bertoldo's.

"When we brought the business I was 21 years old... in those years wives helped and worked alongside their husbands," Ms Bertoldo said.

"I did not do any baking or much bakery work but I rang the shop, [did the] bookkeeping, paid bills, banking and trained girls as shop assistants.

"The boys were happy to learn the trade from their father, mainly because so many significant innovations happened in the baking industry and the boys were part of it.

"I've seen the changes... the simple task like moulding a bread roll which was done by hand is now done by a moulding machine and does dozens at a time."

A dedicated volunteer, Ms Bertoldo balanced her work and raising six children with efforts including helping launch the annual orange sculpture display and her work with the Inner Wheel Club of Griffith East.

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Ms Bertoldo said while the ownership of the bakery has been passed down, she still pops in from time to time to make sure things are still running smoothly and is always greeted warmly by those working at the bakery.

"I still go down and insist on a nice piece of cream cake. They say - Nonna, that's not good for you!" she joked.

"I make sure that they do their cheesecake... they seem to be continuing [the bakery] pretty good."

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