Grandmother, 96, celebrates birthday in hospital
'Peggy, you are a shining example of cheerfulness, perseverance'
On Monday 14 September Peggy Ratcliff celebrated her 96th birthday in the company of twelve friends from the Randfontein Methodist Church in Robinson Hospital.
The celebration was organised by members of the Randfontein Wesley Women’s Auxiliary of which Peggy is a country and postal member.
The sisters in East Wing, under the Leadership of Doris Labotsky organised to clear a two bed ward so this event could take place.
“We are ever so grateful for all the help that the sisters and nurses of East Wing gave, to make this occasion possible,” Janet van der Merwe from Randfontein Methodist Church said.
Peggy has been a resident of Randfontein for many years. She worked on Goldfields Mine and brought up three children on her own. Sadly they have all passed on leaving her with four grandchildren one of which lives in Durban, another in London and two in Australia.
Peggy was born in India to Scottish parents. She later went to England during her teenage years where she met and married her husband, a trainee medical practitioner, at the age of 17.
Before the birth of her third child her husband, who had completed his studies, left for South Africa to start his career leaving her to care for her children until the last baby was born. Eight months later she boarded a ship that set sail to South Africa to join her husband.
Sadly, they divorced and she was left to find employment and raise her children on her own and with the help of God. Peggy has been a devout Christian her whole life.
Her friends said, “Peggy, you are a shining example of cheerfulness, perseverance and what a Christian ought to be. We, who come after you, salute you!”
