Resident Ruby Rogers Rejoices at 100th Birthday Party!
Ruby Rogers celebrated in style for her 100th birthday at Astbury Manor Care Home on Wednesday 26th September. Joined by family, friends and staff, Ruby opened her handmade cards from fellow residents and a special telegram from the Queen as she celebrated her big day.
Our staff and residents crafted homemade decorations to display around our home before the big day. The party included a buffet and entertainer Fred Gardner performing all of Ruby’s favourite Swing and Rat Pack songs. Bernie from the Reading Pipe and Drums Band also serenaded Ruby with a tuneful happy birthday as she was presented with a tasty home-baked cake before enjoying a meal with her family in our private dining room.
Born in a small village in Lancashire, Ruby was brought up with her twin sisters. She attended church from a young age, which is where she met her husband Edgar. One of Ruby’s favourite memories is when Edgar taught her how to drive at 15 on a beach in Southport. The pair often holidayed to Cornwall, Devon and France, but also enjoyed going for lakeside walks, playing badminton together and were both devoted book readers (Ruby particularly enjoyed romance novels).
At 16, Ruby left school and went to an adult college in Preston where she studied shorthand before she went on to work as an assistant to the cotton workers. Ruby and Edgar married when she was 18 and a year later welcomed their first daughter into the world. As an engineer in the Air Ministry, Edgar was posted to Blackpool at the start of World War II. Sadly, Edgar passed away in 1942 and Ruby never remarried, moving to Bracknell to be near her family. Ruby got deeply involved with her local community, volunteering at Copper Hill Community Centre and arranging walks for the local rambler’s group.
Ruby loves being outside and enjoying nature. She still regularly visits local beauty spots where she used to take photographs, which brings back lovely memories. She also enjoys going on regular shopping trips – particularly to Marks and Spencer’s, which is always concluded with a coffee and a piece of cake.
Family is very important to Ruby, who has two daughters, two granddaughters, a great-granddaughter and a great, great-granddaughter, who she loves to spent time with.
Ruby says the secret of her long life is “Enjoy life and be happy! Keep Smiling and be kind.”
Recently Astbury Manor celebrated achieving a Good rating from the CQC. Find out more about life at Astbury Manor by looking at our Facebook page, which we regularly update with all we get up to in our beautiful home.
