Violet Edna Caffary was born on 20th June 1908 to Horace and Lily Plumpton, in Norfolk and was one of six children. She did not have a good start in life and until she was six was unable to go to school with her siblings because she had rickets. She spent her days lying beneath an apple tree in the sunshine. She spent much of her early life in Norfolk, working for a brush making factory and spending some time in service before she married William Caffary and they went on to have eight children, of which only three survived to adulthood. They made them tough then didn’t they? It was an entirely different sort of life to that which we all know today. When the children were babies, Violet used to cook chickens for the customers at The Berney Arms, a pub on the Norfolk Broads. The pub closed down following a drowning but was reopened many years later. Maureen and Jackie took her there when she was in her eighties and she introduced herself to the new landlord who seemed quite spooked to meet her. In conversation he said that they’d thought there was a cellar at the pub but hadn’t been able to find it. Violet turned round and said “Well it was there “ pointing to where she remembered it having been. They’d only gone and built the Ladies loo over the trapdoor! Violet came to live with her daughter Maureen and her family in Luton, 45 years ago, and she was like a second Mum to Lorraine and Jackie, helping to care for them whilst Maureen went to work. She joined in everything they did from sport to climbing trees. They bought her her first ever teddy bear for her 70th birthday and after many holidays in caravans, Violet got her first passport at 78 years of age when they were able to travel abroad! She made good use of it during its ten year life, visiting Spain several times, Greece and Disneyland in Florida. She loved going to bingo with Maureen right until she was 95 years of age, when watching the numbers began to be a little difficult. Violet also appeared in the local newspaper several times:- The first time was 40 years ago, when she purchased a raffle ticket whilst on holiday at Butlin’s for 2s 6d and won a Hillman Minx car. Then in 1997 her 89th birthday surprise was a trip in a glider at Dunstable Downs ……. and when she came down …… she declared that the following year she would really like to go hang gliding! In June 2008 she was again featured in the newspaper for reaching a fantastic one hundred years of age and many of you here will have had the privilege of celebrating that milestone with her. A couple of weeks after that she made the papers again for “pumping iron” at an open day at the Health & Fitness club where granddaughter Lorraine works. Violet has lived a long and healthy life despite a few mishaps over the years. At around age 83 she slipped down a grassy bank at Windsor Safari Park and broke her ankle in two places, but bounced back to full health. At 95 she got shingles – which was a worrying time - but after two months in bed, being the tough determined lady she was, again she recovered. Just a few months before her 100th birthday, she slipped whilst getting out of bed and cracked her pelvis. She spent two weeks in hospital, followed by a short period of time convalescing in a Care Home and once again made a brilliant recovery to return home in time to receive her telegram from the Queen and enjoy her party. She demonstrated her enormous strength of character and willpower by living on to celebrate not only her 101st birthday with yet another party but, to the amazement of her family, to also celebrate her 102nd birthday enjoying a meal out with family and friends. In May this year she travelled to Biggleswade to join in the wedding celebration of Jackie’s marriage to Paul, dancing the night away albeit in her wheelchair. She enjoyed her weekly visits to Biggleswade to look after Jackie & Paul’s puppy Merlin right up until the end of August, when she started to find it difficult to get in and out of the car. She soldiered on but sadly fell ill at the beginning of last month. Two weeks later on 21st October, she died peacefully at home, as she had always wished, with Maureen and Lorraine at her side. She will be sadly missed by Maureen, Brian and Rosemary, Lorraine, Jackie and Paul and all those whose lives she touched in one way or another and has been part of for so many years. Violet, you were one of the last of a proud and tough generation and we thank you for the time, love and care you gave to all your family over so many, many years.