Centenarian Wynne has a recipe for life (From This is Hampshire)

Centenarian Wynne has a recipe for life

5:00pm Friday 19th March 2010 in

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FAMILY members travelled for miles to wish a north Hampshire great grandmother a happy 100th birthday.

Wynne Chard was centre of attention at Beech Tree Nursing Home, in Sprents Lane, Overton, last Saturday where she saw in 100 years with fellow residents.

In the afternoon, she celebrated the milestone with her family members who came from far and wide, including her daughter Pamela Davey from Droitwich, Worcestershire, and grandson Nigel Phealon, who had travelled with his wife from Indiana to see Mrs Chard on her big day.

The centenarian was born in 1910 in Avonmouth, near Bristol, as Wynne Paines and she was brought up with her three siblings.

Unusual for the times, she worked in Packers Chocolate Factory, in Bristol, as a designer before marrying Len Chard in 1938.

The couple had two daughters, Rita and Pamela, who in turn have given them three grandchildren and seven great grandchildren, who range from seven to 17 years old.

After her daughters were married, Mrs Chard worked in a children’s home as housemother for about five years.

Having always been a good cook, she decided to go into catering and worked at several public schools in the Bristol area as a cook.

After retiring Mrs Chard, who is also a keen painter, left her house in the outskirts of Bristol and moved to a retirement bungalow in Kempshott in 1989 to be nearer to her daughter Rita Phealon.

Mrs Phealon, who lives in Whitchurch, said: “My mother is a very independent lady and lived on her own until she was 99.

“She’s always lived quite a healthy life style and looked after herself. Being a cook, she’s always eaten well, so maybe that’s her secret.”