Rita Tack celebrated her 100th birthday at Jewish Care’s Otto Schiff care home at the Maurice & Vivienne Wohl Centre, with her family and friends and staff at the care home.
Rita was showered with flowers and gifts and was very pleased with the beautifully framed card from His Royal Highness, King Charles III and Her Royal Highness, Queen Camilla. She said, “it was a lovely celebration, we all really enjoyed it. Thank you to Danuta (our social coordinator) for organising it, she is amazing.”
Blessed with one daughter, Gillian, two grandchildren and a great-grandchild, Rita is a proud mother and grandmother. Rita was born on 1 August 1924 and was very happily married to her late husband, David, and their wedding took place two weeks after VE-Day in 1945. Sadly, he passed in 1987 at the relatively young age of 71.
Originally from Barry in South Wales, Rita and David met when he was stationed there during WW2. As young marrieds they lived in Finchley, then bought their first home in Edgware, moving to Stanmore later.
Very active with the Ladies’ Guild of Stanmore & Canons Park Synagogue, as well as with WIZO for some years, Rita did a lot for her local community and David was extremely involved, especially with AJEX, of which he was National Chairman in the 1970s, with Rita always by his side. Rita became a local organiser for Alexandra Rose Day, raising much needed funds for AJEX.
Rita’s daughter, Gillian says, “To this day I remember poring over local maps as she allocated streets for house to house collections, sorting, checking in and organising the collection boxes and pounding the beat with Mum! The highlight came when her dedication, and that of similar ladies, was recognised at a celebratory tea at the Mansion House, where she met and chatted with Princess Alexandra.
“The care that Mum receives at Otto Schiff care home is exemplary and she certainly hasn’t lost her sense of humour or her joy in her family. Her 100th birthday tea party gave us a chance to celebrate her long life and all that she means to us, surrounding her with the love and laughter she so enjoys and so richly deserves. Not many of us can say we’ve been to a 100th birthday party.”
Danuta Krysiak, Social Care Coordinator at Jewish Care’s Otto Schiff care home, said, “It was so special to celebrate Rita’s birthday, she is such a lovely lady and it was so heart-warming to see Rita’s family and friends together to celebrate her milestone birthday.”