A hundred years old – and still living independently

AN Islander who is still living independently at the age of 100 is today celebrating her centenary doing what she loves most – spending time with her family.

Ruth Parkinson (neé Sutten) is a farmer’s daughter who grew up in Welshpool. When she turned 16, she left Wales to find work in Cheadle, Stockport, where she got a job in a shop and worked alongside a woman who invited her to meet her brother, James – and it was love at first sight.

They met in 1939, were engaged two years later and married in Heywood, Lancashire, on 21 August 1943. Their 70th wedding anniversary was marked with a big family celebration in 2013.

During the war years Mrs Parkinson worked in a munitions factory making lenses for aircraft gun sights, and the couple had two daughters, Pat in 1944 and Susan in 1946 – who passed away in 2012.

The pair moved to Jersey, where their married daughters were living, in 1967 and rented a house in Sion for many years before moving to Mont Millais, where Mrs Parkinson, whose husband died in 2016, still lives independently. Her daughter Pat Hinault says that her mother has always put her family first and is a devoted parent, grandmother and great-grandmother.

‘She still looks after herself in her own home,’ said Mrs Hinault. ‘We visit her and help with a few things like shopping, but she is very independent. She’s still very active and likes visiting family and friends and she also loves going out for afternoon tea,’ said Mrs Hinault.

‘She is dearly loved by all her family and friends and will be celebrating today at Greenhills Country House Hotel with her family.’

Helping her mark the special occasion will be daughter Pat and her husband, John; grand-daughters Sarah and her husband, Peter; Joanne and her husband, Stuart; Emma and her partner, Pete; grandson Mark and great-grandchildren Samuel, Aimme, Charlotte, Bayley and Leo.