PE woman just nine years short of world's oldest

[caption id="attachment_38060" align="alignright" width="405"] GREAT, GREAT GRAN: Frances Barlow-Kearsley celebrated her 107th birthday in Port Elizabeth this week. She is seen her with her daughter, Edith Fletcher. Picture: FREDLIN ADRIAAN[/caption]

AN active lifestyle coupled with a strong family bond is the secret to longevity, as a Port Elizabeth great-great-grandmother who celebrated her 107th birthday this week has proved.

A 116-year-old Japanese woman, Misao Okawa, is the world's oldest living person, making Frances Barlow-Kearsley just nine years short of the world record.

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Barlow-Kearsley moved to South Africa with her parents, Edward and Isabella McChesney, in 1908 when she was only a baby. Prior to her birth, her father had arrived in the country in 1896 but decided to go back to Scotland to fetch his family.

Frances married William Barlow-Kearsley in 1934 and the couple had two children, Edward and Edith. She worked on the switchboard at Telkom Exchange in Gauteng while her husband worked in a trunk room at the same company. They couple moved to Port Elizabeth when they retired.

On Monday, Barlow-Kearsley celebrated her birthday with family and friends at the Eco Foundation's Walton Park in Summerstrand.

Yesterday, her 78-year-old daughter, Edith Fletcher, spoke fondly of the love, care and happy life her mother had given to the family over the years.

Fletcher said an active lifestyle was the secret to her mother's longevity.

"She worked most of her married life until she retired. Even after that, she used to bake for all of us and knit toys for her grandchildren. Mom lived an active lifestyle – that's why she has survived so long," Fletcher said.

Barlow-Kearsley has five grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Gwendoline Bobie said she had looked after Barlow-Kearsley at the Summerstrand home since 2006."She is a very sweet and quiet person, but one thing I can tell you is that she loves her children.

"I've never had a bad moment with her." - Hendrick Mphande