Rene is 'example to all of us' at 100 years young

That's Paignton's Lily Irene Hutchings who celebrated her centenary on October 23 at home with family members from three generations and friends from the local area.
'Rene', daughter to Horace and and Nell Widdicombe, was 20 minutes younger than her identical twin sister Joan and weighed in at 2lbs 8ozs when she was born.
They were both were born very premature and it was thanks to District Nurse Wackett and loving care from their parents that they survived. In the first weeks of their lives they were kept in the bottom drawer of a bedroom chest wrapped in cotton wool (no humidicribs in those days) and they were fed through an eye dropper.
Rene and Joan attended the Curledge Street School together where they enjoyed being often mistaken for each other.
Rene married Bert Hutchings, also from Paignton, in 1943. Bert was then absent on wartime duty for three years with the Royal Navy while Rene experienced the heavy bombing around their home in Portsmouth. After the war Bert and Rene returned to Paignton to live. In Winner Street they operated a wet fish shop for some 10 years. They were both regular and committed members of the Baptist Church in Winner Street where they formed many friendships. Later Bert served as an ambulance driver covering Torbay and outlying areas. Sadly Bert passed away in 1991.
Rene has lived in Clifton Crescent for almost 50 years. Her family describe her as a 'bright and cheerful person' who is a favourite of her carers from BayCare who look after her so wonderfully. Rene has mobility issues which leave her housebound but as she says herself: "'I'm alright upstairs but not so good down below."
She greets everyone with a bright smile and a kind word.
"We could all learn something from her example," say her family.
Sadly, Rene's sister Joan passed away in her 98th year and she is much missed.