Tributes paid to Bassetlaw’s oldest resident Mary Swales, aged 104

Mary Swales, who attended the Live at Home Scheme at Ann Daniels Centre, Dadley Road, Carlton, died on Saturday 7th March after a short stay in Bassetlaw Hospital.

She leaves behind her children and their spouses, 13 grandchildren and their spouses, 27 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

The family said: “She was loved by everybody and she loved them back.”

“She was a very, very lovely lady.”

“She lived a life of hard work but she enjoyed it because she had a loving family.”

“She will be greatly missed by everybody.”

Mary was born in Catcliffe in 1910 and later lived in Anston and Dinnington with her parents George and Alice after her dad got a job at Dinnington Colliery.

She married her late husband Jim, who was a miner, in 1932, and went on to have five children of her own.

“Mary had a bit of a fall in January and had a successful operation on her hip,” the family added. The nurses and doctors at Bassetlaw Hospital were absolutely wonderful. We would like to thank them all.”

“In the end it was the fragility of old age that took its toll.”

“She was such an independent lady and she could recall stories from her childhood.”

Staff and members at the Live at Home Scheme said Mary would always be remembered by everybody.

Manager, Debbie Barnes, said: “All the members loved her and have been asking about her.”

“She was such a positive person about everything.”

On celebrating her 104th birthday back in October 2014, Mary told the Guardian: “My success to a long healthy life is down to a good days work, a good meal and a spoonful of whiskey in my first cup of tea in the morning.”