Badenoch and Strathspey's oldest resident passes away
Badenoch and Strathspey’s oldest resident – who hit the headlines with her birthday exploits after becoming a centenarian – has died aged 107.
Mrs Dorothy Mary Vardy passed away peacefully at the Grant House care home in Grantown on Monday.
The daredevil had marked birthdays in recent years with a speedboat voyage on Loch Ness, paddling down the River Spey and whizzing along the strath’s roads in a motorcycle sidecar.
She tried canoeing for the very first time when she turned 100 in 2004.
Her daughter, Erica Money, said: "She was always a very happy person; I think that this is what kept her going.
"She was philosophical about life and if we ever had any problems as a child, she would say ‘Don’t worry, things will always work out, they always do’.
"Her outlook on life was wonderful. It was eat what you like and do what you like."
Mrs Vardy developed pneumonia around three to four weeks ago which her family said had "pulled her down" but she had kept good health until then.
Her grandson, Jeremy Money, said: "She had a tremendous enthusiasm for everything. Not many 100 year-olds would be able to take going for a canoe trip in their stride saying, ‘Yes, I’ll get into the canoe’ and she was paddling.
"She just made the most of every opportunity."
Mrs Vardy had wanted to go for a kayak on Lochindorb to mark her 107th birthday in the summer but this time her family thought she was too frail.
"It wouldn’t have stopped her – she was game to do it and said she wouldn’t mind another paddle!" said Jeremy.
One of her favourite visitors to Grant House where she lived latterly was the family dog, Maggie, a Jack Russell, but she loved all kinds of animals.
Mrs Janet Anderson, senior social care worker at Grant House, said that Mrs Vardy’s nickname was "Hardy Vardy" because she was so sprightly.
She said: "Dorothy was very active right up until the week before her death. She enjoyed having a walk around the building in all weather, even the snow.
"She walked with a stroller but due to her poor eyesight she could be mistaken for a bulldozer!
"Dorothy always kept a bit of her biscuit or bread for the birds and she would go out of the front door and break this up in pieces and feed them.
"She loved all animals and made a fuss of any four legged visitors to the home and she really enjoyed her visits from Therapet.
"But her favourite was Maggie, who stays with her daughter, Erica."
Mrs Anderson said that Mrs Vardy was renowned in the care home for her sense of humour and always had an answer for staff.
"She loved her visits from staff and friends and delighted in telling the staff about her childhood holidays in Deeside where the family used to rent a house for a month in the summer.
"Dorothy also enjoyed listening to music and right until the end she was always trying to help clear the dining room tables and the teacups from the lounges.
"Two or three times a day she would be in the main office for a chat or just some company.
"Dorothy will be missed tremendously because she was such a character."
Her body has been donated to Aberdeen University for medical research in accordance with her wishes.
Mrs Money said: "This has been organised for many years; that’s what she wanted."
Mrs Vardy was a pioneer of hillwalking and mountaineering in the days when women were a rare sight in the hills, and even enjoyed sledging well into her 80s.
Born Dorothy Carle in Aberdeen on July 21, 1904, she studied at Aberdeen College of Art before moving to Edinburgh and Dumfries after marrying Jack, an architect.
When her husband died in 1985, Mrs Vardy moved in with their younger daughter, Erica, in Grantown before eventually going to Highland Council’s residential care home Grant House.
An informal local memorial service to celebrate her life will be announced in the near future by her family.
Mrs Vardy is survived by daughters, Alison and Erica; grandsons, Jeremy, Nigel, Martin and Stephen and great-granddaughter Giulia.
