Bury St Edmunds resident marks 101st birthday with music, chocolates and wine

A Bury St Edmunds resident who has been described as ‘fun and adventurous’ has celebrated her 101st birthday.

Kay Target, born on June 1, 1924, marked the special occasion with her loved ones and staff at Marham House care home.

She celebrated with music, chocolates and a bottle of wine, said her daughter Lesley Wyvill.

“We all had a drink and we were singing,” said Lesley. “My mum was always fun-loving – if there was a party to go to, she would be there – so we had a great time.

“When we asked her how she feels about turning 101, her answer was ‘good Lord am I really? I have done well’.

Born in Sunderland, Kay lived there until about the age of 10 before moving to Sheffield, where she left school at the age of 12 to work as a housemaid.

When World War Two started, Kay moved to Kent and worked for the Auxiliary Territorial Service.

Lesley believes her mum met her dad, George, towards the end of the war during a tea dance at an airbase in Kent and married him when she was 22.

“My mum would say my dad was the perfect gentleman,” said Lesley. “He had thick dark hair – he was very good looking.

“When she married my dad, she was the perfect housewife. She would always get changed for dinner and would have me and my sister both changed, in our pyjamas and ready for bed when dad came home from work.”

Kay became a single mum when George died in 1960 – the same year Lesley was born.

Lesley said her dad was sergeant at the air force and became a prisoner of war when his plane was shot down over the English Channel in 1943.

She said: “I don’t remember my dad. He was a prisoner of war for a long time and we believe that led to his death at an early age.

“That period after his death was very difficult for my mum, because she had no idea how to manage finances as that was considered a male role at the time.

“She struggled to make ends meet, but she tried her best.”

Kay worked as a waitress for about 10 years before working as a shop assistant at Waitrose, where she stayed until retiring at the age of 65.

Although Kay’s life wasn’t the easiest, Lesley said her mum never lost her spirit and enjoyed life.

This included travelling around the world, taking up golf during her retirement and even a solo trip to France at the age of 76.

Lesley said: “She decided to buy a house in France, but also wanted to drive there all on her own, which was pretty amazing because there was no sat nav then.

“She had the house for about 10 years and would do the same trip two to three times a year by car.

“If we couldn’t go, she would say ‘fine, I will go on my own’. No mobile phone, no sat nav – we had no idea when she would come back. We were all worried but that’s my mum - she’s very adventurous.”

Kay celebrated her birthday last Sunday.