Grassy Park's Beatrice McGrath celebrates her 100th birthday with family and friends

Grassy Park resident Beatrice McGrath celebrated her 100th birthday on Friday, February 20, surrounded by family, friends, and neighbours.

Lay minister Ian Fortune from the Simon of Cyrene Anglican Church gave a special blessing in her honour. A local retailer also marked the occasion by presenting her with a cake decorated with the words “100 years” in chocolate icing.

Born in 1926, Ms McGrath grew up on Stanley Road in Claremont before moving with her family to Kildare Road in Newlands. She attended St Saviour’s Church in Claremont, which also had a school at the time, and she was a devoted member of the church until she moved out of the area.

“I was born in 1926, and in the Easter of that year, I was baptised at that church,” she recalled.

As a young woman, she worked briefly for a tobacco company. During World War II, she also volunteered for firefighting training at Rondebosch Common.

She later married James McGrath. The couple lived in Harfield Village before moving to Grassy Park in 1969, where she has remained ever since. Her husband died 11 years ago at the age of 83.

Together, they had 12 children, of whom two have died.

Ms McGrath has five sons and five daughters, 27 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. “They all love me, and I love my family all so dearly,” she said.

Now 100 years old, Ms McGrath says she feels “great and blessed.”

“I have no pain at all, just sometimes I experience burning eyes,” she said.

She said she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She remains a member of the Simon of Cyrene Anglican Church, which she has been a member of ever since she moved to the area where, according to Mr Fortune, she is the eldest parishioner.

“The church is so overwhelmed by grandmother McGrath reaching her 100th birthday, and we would bring the church service to her in her elder years,” he said.

Ms McGrath lives in Grassy Park with her daughters Felicity, Edwina, Patricia, and Shirley McGrath, as well as her sons Russell and Edward McGrath.

Felicity said that once her mother reached her 90s, she began praying she would make it to 100.

“She has been a good mother. She has always been a family person; she always took care of her whole family. She is a sweet woman,” she said.

Despite their large family, Felicity added that friends have always been drawn to her mother’s warmth. “She would welcome everyone who came into our house,” she said.

The family plans to host a large celebration in her honour at De Wet Road Hall in Ottery on Saturday, February 21.

Find Southern Mail on TikTok and Instagram @ccmonlineza