Wales’ oldest person dies at 112
Stephen Price
Wales’ oldest person, Mary Keir has died at the age of 112.
Mary Keir, who celebrated her 112th birhday in March surrounded by family and friends was born in St Davids, Pembrokeshire in 1912, before the outbreak of World War I and before the Titanic set sail.
Mary was a resident at Awel Tywi Residential Home in Llandeilo where she had lived for the last 12 years, and made headlines after celebrating her most recent birthday with a lunch of roast dinner followed by sherry trifle and then a buffet in the evening.
Pupils from Ysgol Ffairfach also visited to celebrate with Mary as well as Dinefwr Male Voice Choir who entertained Mary and all the residents at Awel Tywi with an array of songs.
Active
Mary was still actively involved in life at Awel Tywi until recently, taking part in activities, entertainment and meetings as well as helping other residents. She was a keen lover of music, in particular the piano which has been a lifelong passion.
A former ward sister and district nurse who lived in Llansteffan independently just before her 100th birthday, Mary then became a resident at Carmarthenshire County Council’s Awel Tywi Residential Home.
Recollections
Mary previously recalled being in Cardiff during World War Two: “War broke out when I was there. I remember it distinctly and listening to the announcement, ‘We are now at war’.
“It was September 1939 I think and from then on things were different and we would have constant warnings in the night to get up from our beds and shut the bedroom door so that we weren’t near any glass.”
A keen pianist for most of her life, she played keyboard for other residents until recently.
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