THE family of a Port Glasgow care home resident have looked back on her life as she celebrates her 102nd birthday.
Maimie Rankin celebrated her special day with fellow residents at Newark Care Home on Tuesday.
She enjoyed live music from different eras of her life and was presented with a cake to mark the occasion.
The centenarian was born at her family home on Drumoyne Road in Govan on June 27, 1921, a younger sister to Tommy.
At the age of 18, she joined the Daily Express newspaper as a shorthand typist – a skill which would serve her well in her next venture.
When she turned 21, Maimie joined the Women’s Air Force and was based at Greenock’s Battery Park.
Her secretarial skills saw her appointed leading aircraftwoman at the site.
During her time with the force between 1942 and 1945, Maimie was also stationed at Leuchars in Fife and im the Highland town of Nairn.
At 24, she returned to work at the newspaper, a role which she held until she was 60.
In her down time, Maimie has always enjoyed travelling, with trips to Norway, Germany and Austria in the 1960s being some of her highlights.
She was also a member of McGregor Memorial Church in Govan before its demolition in 1994.
Maimie then joined the congregation at Tron Church in Glasgow, with many of her friends there still checking in on her.
Prior to his passing in 2004, Maimie’s brother Tommy looked after her and ensured she kept well.
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His daughter Lesley Fairlie, from Langbank, later took this responsibility on and still visits her aunt in the home regularly.
She told the Tele: “She’s always been a very caring person.
“She has lots of friends given that she never married.
“She was very close to her church family – that was her life really.”
When asked the secret to Maimie’s long life, Lesley added: “I think probably the fact that she never drank or smoked, and she never had a man.
“She’s just very independent.
"She also has her porridge every morning.”
Maimie moved into Newark Care Home at the age of 96, following a short stay at a residential home in Hillington.
Lesley said: “We want to say thanks to all the staff in this unit and the catering workers. Everybody is so good with her.
"They can’t do enough for her and can’t do enough for me."
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