Patriotic send-off for Taverham 104-year-old at funeral service
Elsie Leeds celebrates her 102nd birthday.; Photo by Simon Finlay - Credit: EDP pics © 2011(01603) 772434
A 104-year-old Taverham woman was given a patriotic send-off at her funeral service in Earlham on Monday.
Elsie Leeds arrived at Earlham Crematorium in a coffin draped in the Union Jack, while the funeral director from Peter Taylor Funeral Service, had a Union Jack wrapped around his hat while he conducted the service.
Mrs Leeds, a former post office and haberdashery owner, lived at Northgate House Private Residential Care Home in Hellesdon until her death on November 30.
During her life, she survived two husbands and lived in Taverham and Cringleford. When her first husband, Basil Reynolds, came out of the army after the second world war, the couple started a post office in Cringleford and went on to purchase the next door property and opened a haberdashery store.
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In 2011, she was featured in the Evening News after she reached her 102nd birthday. Describing her longevity, her son Nigel Reynolds said: 'Stubbornness! It's remarkable as well because she used to smoke like a chimney.
'Also, she always worked, all her life.'
He said she still enjoyed having her hair done despite her years.
