Centenarian Vera enjoys milestone birthday in Spa

4 June 2025

A RESIDENT at Spa Nursing Home has celebrated a milestone birthday.

Mrs Vera McCrea reached 100 years of age on Saturday.

She was born in 1925 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne to William and Ada Wedderburn, and was evacuated with her school to Kendal during the Second World War.

Vera started nursing at the age of 18 in the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.

She married her husband, Bob, an ENT surgeon from Fintona, Co Tyrone in 1950, before moving to Belfast where they had two daughters, Margaret and Susan.

The family moved to Holywood in 1960, where Vera remained until she moved to Spa Nursing Home, nearly three years ago.

Both her daughters are now married and she has four grandchildren – Kirsten, Conal, Maeve and Arthur.

Mr McCrea died in 1983, but Mrs McCrea was determined to remain active, despite her loss.

She was a keen bird watcher, attended lectures in Holywood Library, volunteered at Abbeyfield House and was a member of Belfast Field Naturalist Club.

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