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Supergran celebrates 110th birthday

Aug 24 2008 by Kathryn Jacques, Sunday Sun

Eunice Bowman who is 110 years old

THE North’s oldest resident celebrated her birthday yesterday, having reached the ripe old age of 110.

And Eunice Bowman joked: “I’ve laughed so much. I haven’t had time to die.”

The great-great-grandmother was the second of 12 children, born in Wigan in 1898, prior to moving to Windy Nook, Gateshead.

School featured little in her childhood as she spent most of her time helping her mother with her younger siblings. As the family grew, so did her workload . . . and her wages were used to maintain the family.

In 1919, Eunice married for the first time and had four children. In 1928, her husband, Robert, contracted tuberculosis and died.

Eunice remarried in 1941. She had two more children, one of whom died in infancy.

Eunice lost her second husband, Frank, in 1950. She then worked in a fish and chip shop with her sister, Annie, until she was in her 80s.

Eunice has outlived most of her children and is the only one left out of her 11 brothers and sisters.

Eunice’s daughter, Ann Berry, said: “Mother has always enjoyed the simple pleasures, has a good sense of humour and is very hardworking.

“ I am so proud of her.”

Eunice marked her special day with a party at the Hillside Grange Care Home, where she now lives surrounded by family and friends.

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