Kay takes to the beach in a Mercedes to celebrate 100th birthday

12 May 2021

A resident at Innis Mhor care home in Tain celebrated her 100th birthday with a trip to the beach in an open top sports car.

Adventurous Kathleen Scrace, better known as Kay, told care home manager Jackie Macrae that she wanted to feel the wind in her hair on her milestone birthday and take to the beach in style, so she was whisked to Dornoch beach in a Mercedes.

Kay has always been a free spirit. She was born in Chadderton, Greater Manchester where she met and later married James Sydney Scrace, who was working as a draftsman for Avro, the aircraft manufacturer.

Kay worked at Oldham Royal Infirmary, becoming the manager of the Records Department, before transferring to Boundry Park Hospital to take charge of the Anti-Natal Department.

On their retirement Kay and Jim moved to a smallholding Dyfed, in Wales, were they lived ‘the good life’.

Later they went to live in the Algarve in Portugal, where they were very happy entertaining family and friends in their villa by the sea.

By the time they were in their late seventies they decided to return to the UK to be close to their daughters, Pauline and Ann, and David, their son, who lives in London.

Jim died in April 2016, at the age of 95. Soon after Kay went to live with her daughter Ann, until she moved into Innis Mhor Care Home in Tain in May 2018.

Kathleen has always had itchy feet, moving house every few years.

Still true to that wandering spirit, when asked by Jackie, the care home manager, what she would like to do on her birthday. Kay’s reply was: “To drive to the beach in an open topped sports car and feel the wind in my hair.”

Daughter Ann said: “Mum had a wonderful day and I, and all the family, would like to thank Jackie and all the staff at Innis Mhor for taking very good care of mum, and going above and beyond to give her a wonderful birthday.”