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Would you believe Doris is 100?
A sense of humour and 'moderation in everything' is the secret of longevity for one Walton woman who celebrated her 100th birthday on January 16.
Doris Carr, who lives in the Walton-on-Thames Charity sheltered housing, Mayfield in Hersham Road, got together with friends, trustees and staff for a birthday tea and Champagne toast.
The Mayor of Elmbridge Cllr Nigel Cooper and his wife, Mayoress Cllr Elizabeth Cooper also attended the party including family who turned up to surprise her.
Doris, who received a letter from the Queen to mark her birthday was born in Stanley, County Durham in 1909 and has been a resident of Mayfield 16 years.
She said: "The party was marvellous, such a lovely surprise. Everybody asks me what my secret is and I always say it is down to moderation in everything. You should do what ever you like as long as you don't go over the top. My sense of humour has kept me going and keeping cheerful."
Although Doris says she hasn't had a particularly happy life she doesn't let anything get to her.
She was the seventh of nine children, including two sisters and six brothers.
Her dreams of becoming a teacher were thwarted when at the age of 12 her parents asked her to leave school to help with domestic chores.
After a while, Doris ran away from home to another family members house, where she returned to schooling.
Doris then worked in her parents pub until she met her husband, who she later divorced and her two children, a boy and a girl both died in separate car accidents.
Doris then moved to Walton and worked at the Weybridge Masonic School where she stayed until she retired.
She has a passion for sports cars and has driven a variety over the years. Her pride and joy was an Austin Healy Sprite, which she drove until she was 82.
Doris is still active and does her own laundry and cooking and is a keen fan of Countdown, which she has watched since it started in November 1982.
As a birthday gift she received a Countdown T-shirt, mug and goodies.
Welfare officer Avril Wilcox, who organised the party, would like to thank the following businesses who donated gifts; Tesco at Brooklands for providing boxes of Champagne, Petals of Walton for a bouquet of flowers, Waitrose for glasses and bottles of Cava and Woodlands Park Hotel in Cobham for a Tea for Two Voucher.
Avril added: "Doris is a forthright lady with a very warm heart"
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That's my Nan! She is a great example to us all.
Nigel Carr, Heraklion, Crete, Greece