VISITORS packed into a Bromsgrove care home to celebrate a special resident’s 100th birthday.
Muriel Dudley reached the milestone last Thursday (February 5) and was surrounded by family and friends at St John’s Court Nursing Home, who put on a ‘big birthday bash’ for her along with handing over her telegram from HM The Queen.
Born and bred in Oldham, Mrs Dudley was the oldest of five children and as the only girl she became a ‘stand-in mother’ for her siblings after their mum passed away.
Mrs Dudley married husband Harry Dudley at All Saints Church in West Bromwich just before the outbreak of the Second World War. It came after the pair had met on a merry-go-round in the town.
The couple, who sadly lost their son Barry soon after his birth but have since had another son called Roger, wrote letters to one another while Mr Dudley was fighting in the war. The letters have been kept to this day.
Son Roger said: “She had many jobs throughout her life, but she was a very talented cake maker.
“However, the job she loved most was working with disabled children. She also loves small children and even at 100 she is still just as excited to see youngsters, including her great grandchild Rosilie.”
Staff at the nursing home, who have looked after the centenarian since 2013, also called Mrs Dudley a ‘character’ and ‘quite a chatterbox’.
