Kathleen Sims, former nurse and Romford Golf Club member, passed away at 107, leaving behind a legacy of service and community involvement.
Neil said she always helped others. She worked as a state registered nurse and as a midwife during her career. Kathleen was a great family matriarch who constantly showed love to others, he stated.
Kathleen, called Kath, was born in Watford on September 14, 1917. Her Methodist family owned a jam business. A colleague doubted her nursing abilities, and she became a nurse and midwife in 1940.
After enjoying 20 years as a nurse, she ran a care home. Kathleen moved to Romford in the early 1960s and ran the May fair for her church for 40 years.
She also ran events for St Joseph’s Hospice. Pope John Paul II awarded her a medal. Neil mentioned she was Romford Golf Club’s oldest member and celebrated her 107th birthday there last year.
Richard Hall, who manages the golf club, paid tribute to Kathleen’s memory. She was a member in the 50s and 60s, rejoined in 1973, and remained a member. She was popular in the ladies’ section and was the oldest member by far at 107.
She regularly visited the club for lunch with family and friends. Everyone at the club will miss her. At 97, Kathleen moved into Gidea Lodge and quickly joined the management committee.
She helped other residents, including a much younger woman who was a hip fracture patient. Kathleen passed away on January 28 and leaves behind four children, nine grandchildren, and seventeen great-grandchildren.