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Home Canterbury News Article
One of Kent's oldest residents has died just hours after her 106th birthday.
Beloved great-grandmother Julia Carr, from Stelling Minnis near Canterbury, marked the momentous milestone on Wednesday.
But she died in the early hours of the following day, at Abbey Lodge residential care home in Hythe.
At 106, Julia lived through two world wars and 20 different prime ministers.
She leaves behind two daughters, Pam and Margaret; four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Pam said: "She lived a full and happy life, but she felt that 106 was far too long to be alive.
"She died after only a short illness, for which her family are thankful for."
Julia celebrated her 106th birthday on Wednesday with her daughters, son-in-law Johnathan, and granddaughter Carmen Louise.
Abbey Lodge decorated her room with balloons, flowers and cards sent from her descendants in America, and celebrated the day with a "beautiful" cake.
Julia was born in the throes of the First World War, to parents who owned a huge farm near Castle Howard in north Yorkshire.
Speaking to KentOnline on her 105th birthday last year, she attributed her long life to organic food, an outdoorsy youth, and her parents' values.
“My parents were very, very sensible and brought us up to be well-behaved,” she explained.
“The reason I’ve lived a long time is I had sensible parents and a very healthy life, you see, on the farm.
“Of course now you pay extra for organic food. But back then, all our food was organic.
“And we had the beautiful air - it was all very, very healthy.”
Julia worked as a teacher in Scotland before meeting her husband William Carr - a royal engineer in the Second World War, who was mentioned in dispatches for his bravery.
The couple had two daughters, and relocated to Henley-on-Thames when they retired.
Julia was heavily involved in the church and the WI, and enjoyed playing piano and tennis.
Sadly, William died 37 years ago.
“They absolutely adored each other,” said Pam. “They were very, very close.”
Until recently, Julia lived in Stelling Minnis with her daughter Pam and son-in-law John.
But following a period of ill health she moved in to Abbey Lodge Care Home in Hythe last month, where she was the oldest resident prior to her death.
