On Tuesday 28th May 2024, I was delighted to drop in to the 100th birthday party celebrations of Catherine Miller House resident, Doris Parfitt.
Doris was born in the mining village of Easington, County Durham on 28th May 1924. Born into a hardworking family, Doris was the third of four daughters to Catherine and William. Doris always displayed a strong work ethic, leaving school at 14 to work in domestic service in a grand house on the edge of her village. There she gained so many of the life-skills that would see her through her long life.
In her late teens, the family moved to London to be nearer to her sister Elsie who had tragically lost her little boy in an accident. It was in London where Doris developed her skills as a machinist in a clothing factory.
During WWII, Doris volunteered for the NAAFI where she cooked and served food in the canteens for the service men and women. She loved attending the dances with the handsome and charming GIs which brought a touch of joy to the war years.
Post-war life saw Doris meet Alan, a brave soldier who had returned from fighting in North Africa and Italy. They married and settled in Benfleet.
Doris worked as a chambermaid at the Westcliff Hotel before starting her family with Alan. They were parents to Janet, David, Timothy and Kathleen who all hugely enjoyed Doris’s cooking skills especially her melt-in-the-mouth pastry, giant Yorkshire puddings and light, fluffy cakes.
Doris was happy to serve the community as a WRVS volunteer delivering hot meals to the elderly in Benfleet. Doris didn’t slow down once her children had grown up. She took an early morning cleaning job at the old Odeon cinema in Southend, taking great pride in her work and making new friends.
When grandchildren came along – ten in total and three great grandchildren to date – Doris was in her element. Doris and Alan celebrated over 50 years of marriage before Alan died in 2011, a sad event which persuaded Doris it was probably time to go into residential care.
Doris has lived at Catherine Miller house for four years and she is very happy there. Her family is grateful to the staff for looking after her so well. I was absolutely delighted to attend the birthday party for Doris. She's a wonderful lady who has lived a long and varied life. To reach one hundred years of age and to still have such a sparkling joie de vivre is a shining example to us all.
Doris is a true community hero who has devoted much of her life to serving others and bringing up her four lovely children. She is now a devoted grandmother and great-grandmother too.
During her lifetime the world has changed so much, but Doris has remained a constant source of love and light for her loved ones. What an honour to celebrate with her today!
