Tain birthday girl (100) has cause for double celebration as Queen's Ross-shire rep comes calling
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A SPECIAL birthday for an "amazing lady" was cause for a double celebration in an Easter Ross town.
Barbara Rae's 100th birthday was marked with a birthday card from the Queen and a special visit from the Lord Lieutenant in Ross-shire, Joanie Whiteford, along with friends and family.
Born in the aftermath of the Great War, Tain-based Mrs Rae lived and served through World War II and was lucky to survive the blitz of Liverpool when her family's home was bombed.
She joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force after the blitz and went into the meteorology section of the RAF and was thereafter based at several UK airfield locations, amongst them in the Lake District, which is where she eventually met her husband Willis. The couple married in 1945. The couple lived in Birkenhead until 1961 when they made the move to Tain where Willis was the excise officer at Glenmorangie Distillery until his retirement in 1981.
Their children Ian and Patricia were both educated at Tain Royal Academy.
Mrs Rae was active in church and voluntary circles and with the Tain Choral Society and Garrick Singers. She looked after her late husband at home after a series of strokes and a heart attack left him with reduced mobility and unable to talk properly.
She was also last week given a V75 medallion from the British Legion. Her daughter said she was "thrilled" with that because she never claimed her service medal "just being glad Europe was at peace and she was able to go back home".
Mrs Rae sat in her doorway to greet friends and neighbours who joined a procession. Pipers Ewan and Fraser Denoon led the way.
Rev James Currall of the Scottish Episcopal Church said: "One of the nicest and simplest tributes has been from a good friend of Pat’s,Ann Littlewood, who said 'when I visit her house I always leave with a smile on my face'."
He said: "Barbara – you are an amazing lady. Let us celebrate the day with you."
Lord Lieutenant Joanie Whiteford thanked local councillor Alasdair Rhind for organising such a pleasant day.
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