THE sun shone for a special garden party, writes Donald L Reid, for a special lady on Sunday, August 13 when Betty Kennedy celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by 100 of her close family and friends.

Born Elizabeth Stewart to dairy farmers in Kilbarchan, she was the youngest of seven children and grew up working a hard farming life there till she married Jimmy Kennedy in 1951. They set up home on a farm in Dalry and the hard work continued building up a pedigree Friesian dairy herd and producing two children, David and Elizabeth.

Her greatest passion was her garden where she spent many happy hours tending her extensive variety of beautiful flowers, plants and vegetables and still enjoys a wee trip to a garden centre.

Betty is an active member of Greenhills WI, enjoying the meetings, speakers, competitions and catching up on the gossip with her fellow members. For many years curling has been a passion of Betty’s which she took up when David and Elizabeth were teenagers.

Jimmy, already an accomplished curler, taught her and she went on to become a member of Dalry Union Curling Club and was a founder member of Burnhouse Ladies Curling Club. Over the years she won many competitions and trophies even beating Olympic gold medal winner, Rhona Martin, and also her husband on occasion.

Eventually she had to hang up her curling shoes at the grand age of 92, though she still provides her district famous clootie dumplings at special curling occasions.

Her four grandchildren Carol, Steven, Katie and Stewart are the apple of her eye and keep her young at heart. David, Jean, Elizabeth and Murray would like to extend their thanks to all the friends and family who helped make Betty’s birthday such a fabulous and memorable day.