Queen helps convince centenarian of her age

CENTENARIAN Jeanne Valon found it hard to believe it was her 100th birthday.
By The Newsroom
Published 9th Oct 2015, 17:15 BST

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Jeanne Valon with Worthing mayor and mayoress Michael Donin and Linda Williams SR1523209Jeanne Valon with Worthing mayor and mayoress Michael Donin and Linda Williams SR1523209
Jeanne Valon with Worthing mayor and mayoress Michael Donin and Linda Williams SR1523209

Olga Beresford-Theurer, manager at The Hurst Nursing Home, in Mill Road, Worthing, organised a party for the big day, Wednesday, September 30.

But when she told Miss Valon the day before, she replied that she was not 100.

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“She did not believe it,” said Olga. “It was not until she had a telegram from the Queen that she would accept it.”

Miss Valon as a young woman, bottom right SR1523242Miss Valon as a young woman, bottom right SR1523242
Miss Valon as a young woman, bottom right SR1523242

Worthing mayor and mayoress Michael Donin and Linda Williams visited Miss Valon on her birthday and presented her with a card and chocolates.

At the party, guests where shown a picture of Miss Valon as a young woman, at what looks like a family picnic beside a car.

Olga said she asked if she was from a wealthy family, as only rich people would be able to afford a car, but Miss Valon said they had borrowed it.

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Miss Valon has been a resident at The Hurst since June 2012.

Olga said: “She came here because she broke her hip.

“She is a cultured lady and although she is 100 she is very interested in anything going on. She likes to engage and is interested in everybody. She reads The Times avidly every day. She is mentally active and used to love playing bridge.”

“Although she is no longer mobile, she loves going out in the wheelchair and even going to a hospital appointment is an outing to her.”

Her father was a bank manager in London and she worked at Midland Bank. She came to Worthing with her sister Louise because it was a nice seaside town and when her sister died, she decided to go into a care home.

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Related topics:Queen