A Burnham-On-Sea resident celebrated her 101st birthday on Wednesday (May 26th) with family and carers.
Phyllis May Walsh is a resident at Burnham’s Stratton House Nursing Home in Rectory Road.
Family members were able to visit Phyllis for her big day and sing her happy birthday after being unable to see her for long periods of the past year due to the pandemic.
“Phyllis is such a special lady and it was so heart-warming to see everyone’s spirits lifted and to have something very special to celebrate,” says the manager, Tracy. “It’s really given everyone a lift.”
Phyllis was born on May 26th, 1920 and had three sisters and a brother – she is the only one still living today. She has one daughter, who came to visit her on her big day.
Phyllis lived in Sutton, Surrey and when she left school she worked for Union Cold Storage in Billingsgate, London and. She met her first husband in 1939 at the start of WW2.
She later became a teacher in 1955 and met her second husband at a ballroom dancing class. She divorced her first husband in 1975 and married Richard soon after.
Phyllis moved to Somerset in 1979 and lived in Highbridge for over 40 years, taking yoga classes for many years and also helped with local disabled swimming as she is a qualified lifesaver. Richard passed away in 2015 and her grandson lived with her as her registered carer until she moved to Burnham’s Stratton House.
Phyllis also wrote a book, pictured, called Three Local Pioneers which had a freedom theme.
Pictured: Phyllis with Stratton House carers Emma and Molly Preedy, Ellen Osman and Sian Coulson on her big day; her book; and the care home below
