The funeral of Kathleen Grimwood at St Peter's Church in Sudbury

THE last wishes of Suffolk’s oldest resident were granted this week, with services in the two churches where she worshipped, to mark her passing and celebrate her long life.

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Sudbury resident Kathleen Grimwood, who died on January 25 at the age of 110, was taken to her last resting place from St Peter’s Church, where her family held a quiet funeral service on Tuesday morning.

The Churches Conservation Trust, which owns the building, granted permission for the service to be held in the now redundant church, because it was once central to Kathleen’s family life. From there she was taken to Sudbury Cemetery to be buried with her twin sister Gertrude, who passed away in 1992.

In the afternoon, about 100 people ranging from those who cared for her in her final years to those who had known her since childhood, gathered at St Gregory’s Church, where she was a regular worshipper until just two weeks before her death.

During both services, family and friends described Kathleen as “unique” and with an “independent spirit”.

Canon Gregory Webb, who officiated at St Gregory’s, said the service was to give thanks, not just because Kathleen was 110-years-old, but because of the person she was.

In an address by close family friend, Lord Andrew Phillips, he described how Kathleen was the second of twins born on August 19, 1901.

“It was thought she wouldn’t live, which was ironic given that she lived to be one of the oldest people in Britain,” he said.

For Lord Phillips, there had scarce been a time when he wasn’t aware of Kathleen Grimwood. She had been present when he read his first lesson in St Peter’s at the age of eight and in more recent times, he had spent time with Kathleen noting down her experiences and observations.

Speaking of the decision to hold the service on Valentine’s Day, Lord Philliips said: “Spinster she may have been, but she was never ambivalent towards the male sex. She rejected a proposal of marriage from a second cousin because he was too starchy.”

Kathleen was no push over, he said, and was never scared to make her opinions known.

But it was her interest in people – everyone from tramps at the local poorhouse to the Queen, who she met when she became the oldest person to receive the Royal Maundy Money in 2009 – that made her such a memorable woman.

Lord Phillips concluded: “In all, her life was marked with integrity, decency and kindness which permeated her very being. Her spirit was totally magnificent.”