NorseCare’s oldest resident Vera celebrates her 107th birthday
NorseCare’s oldest resident celebrated her 107th birthday on 5th March 2020 at Springdale care home in Brundall.
Vera Read was born in Oulton Broad on 5th March 1913 to William and Harriet Girling. She attended schools in Oulton Broad and in Lowestoft after winning a scholarship and left school at the age of 14. She then worked in a shop in Oulton Broad called Becketts until the age of 20 and later moved to Norwich with her parents.
Vera met her husband Cecil in her late 20’s and after a five-week courtship, they married on October 25th 1941. They were very happy together and their first daughter Christine was born around two years later and they had a second daughter Eileen five years after that.
The family all lived happily in Norwich until Cecil sadly passed away in the 1980s, having suffered from Parkinson’s disease. Vera was his main carer for over 10 years and continued to live in their Norwich flat until coming to live at Springdale in Brundall. The Royal Navy Association continue to keep in touch with Vera, as her husband Cecil served in the Navy when he was younger.
She liked to relax by enjoying knitting, sewing and reading when she was younger and enjoys taking part in activities at the care home. She loves to see her family when they visit and likes to talk to the others at the home.