Milestone birthday for Berea’s Grace

BEREA’S Grace Barrable celebrated a milestone century birthday surrounded by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren at Essenwood Residential Home on 26 March.

Grace was born in Johannesburg, one of four girls, and one boy. Her older sister passed away in Australia in January aged 101.

She was an old fashioned bookkeeper, and worked for many years at the Automobile Association before marrying farmer, Percy Neil Coulthard, and living in the Standerton/Carltonville area. Her husband died suddenly from a severe stroke, and she was left on the farm with her two little girls, aged nine and five. She was pregnant at the time. Grace sold everything and moved down to Scottburgh on the South Coast to be near her mother, who was very instrumental in bringing up her children, Gail, Beverley and Neil.

There Grace did the books for the local pharmacy and estate agency, doing two jobs to sustain her young family as a single parent. Her older sister encouraged her to learn to play golf, which she loved, and through golf met Barry Barrable whom she married. They took over the running of the Eshowe Country Club where they spent many very happy years.

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Grace has six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, however sadly, she does not have a single surviving sibling or friend.

Her daughter, Beverley, said her mum had a sad life, losing two husbands and her only son in a car accident at the age of 34. She devoted many years to bringing up Neil’s children who were only one and five when left orphaned.

“She was hard working and her family meant everything to her. She was quiet, a shy person. She now has severe dementia, which was exacerbated by being burgled and bound on her own in Westville, but she is totally contented in her little world,” she said.

Grace played tennis, golf and bowls and absolutely loved sports of every description, which Beverley feels has contributed to Grace’s longevity.

“Mum has been a quiet guiding light to all of us. What I love the most is the fact that everyone says what a ‘lady’ she has always been, and remains so today,” she said.

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