Perthshire woman Eveline Ritchie has celebrated her 100th birthday with family.
Eveline marked the special occasion with a family party on Tuesday surrounded by her daughter Maureen, two grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and friends.
She was treated to a birthday afternoon tea for her 100th birthday.
And was delighted to receive a card from King Charles to mark the milestone.
Eveline was born in Northern Ireland
Eveline was born on March 14, 1923 in Portglenone, Northern Ireland.
Daughter Maureen said: “Her mother’s family had an estate near Bangor, Co Down where growing up most of her holidays were spent.
“They had a stable of horses giving my mother a great love of horses and dogs which has lasted all her life.”
She explained how Eveline came to meet her future husband, Rev James Ritchie.
“My parents met at a tennis club in Belfast and were married in St Marks Parish Church (where my mother taught in Sunday School) in 1947.
“She never really had a job which seemed to be quite normal in those days.
“After marrying a minister she threw her life completely into supporting him.”
Eveline helped her husband in the church
Maureen said her mum enjoyed helping her husband in the church.
She enthusiastically organised camps each year for children and young people.
She continued: “During the 1960’s, my parents noticed a lot of youths hanging around street corners with very little activities available.
“They opened a coffee bar in the church hall with table tennis and various games.
“This became very popular.
“In those days it was most unusual for a church to open its doors in that way.
“But my mother’s diplomacy and sense of humour made this a very popular venue for local young people to gather and meet.”
Eveline and James lived in England until the early 1970’s.
This was until James was invited to become a minister of a church in Northern Ireland.
The couple had two children, Maureen and Edwin – who has lived with his wife and family in British Columbia since his early 20s.
James eventually retired in 1993 due to illness.
Moving to Perthshire
In 2003, Eveline went to live beside Maureen and her family at Kings of Kinloch.
And she now lives in a lodge in the grounds of her daughter’s house.
Meanwhile, James went into Mundamalla House Nursing Home in Blairgowrie in 2003.
He sadly passed away in 2006.
Maureen said when her mother came to live in Perthshire she joined the local church.
She has since made many good friends.
Maureen added: “I was asking what my mother she thought her secret of great age would be.
“With no hesitation she replied – a good sense of humour and a very optimistic nature, something which everyone meeting her quickly becomes aware of!”
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