May, as she was always known, was born on 19th June 1908 in Woodbridge, Suffolk, where, together with her younger sister Eva, spent her early life. The Felgate family later moved to Felaw Street in Ipswich where she went to school at the time of the First World War. Her father was injured while serving in the Coldstream Guards and subsequently died in 1925 when she was 16. May worked as a secretary for a large furnishing and polishing company and during this period met her future husband Will and in 1935 they were married and moved into their new home at 13 Trent Road, Ipswich where they lived for all their married life.
During the Second World War, while Will was serving in the Army, May moved back to her mother’s house where she saw out the war. During this period May served with the American Red Cross.
Will returned from the war and in September 1946 their only son Christopher was born.
Will passed away in 1994 and four years later, in 1998 when she was 90, May moved in with her son and daughter-in law Janice in Farnborough.
Her last 12 years were spent in the company of her son and daughter-in-law Janice, her grandchildren Lorna and Karen and her great grandchildren Amber, Lewis, Ryan and Ella, all of whom will miss her greatly.
Her health gradually declined following her 100th birthday and in March this year May moved to Randell House Care Home where she died peacefully in her sleep, just 17 days away from her 102nd birthday.
It is very difficult to comprehend the changes that May witnessed during her remarkable lifetime. Born into a world with only horse drawn transport, only newspapers and letters for communication and with none of the luxuries that we all now take for granted, May lived through two world wars and witnessed man walking on the moon not to mention countless other milestones, even Ipswich Town winning the FA Cup - what an incredible journey.
To the end she was in no pain and on no medication and simply decided it was time to move on to a better place.
The funeral will take place at Aldershot crematorium on Monday 14th June 2010 at 1.30 pm.
Donations in May's memory to Dementia UK can be made at:
http://www.justgiving.com/maybaltzer
