The old saying about ‘they don’t make ’em like that any more’ might have been coined specially for this great-grandmother, born in 1928 and battling her way over whatever hurdles life throws her way.
An eventful period for Mrs Eloury began last November when her family reluctantly decided that her reduced mobility and mild dementia required a higher degree of nursing care, and she moved out of the home she had shared with her daughter Ann Fitton.
Mrs Eloury, who formerly ran a guest house at West Park Avenue in St Helier, had lived with her daughter for the previous 18 years.
After moving into Sandybrook Nursing Home in St Lawrence, Mrs Eloury was unfortunate enough to suffer several falls and although she initially responded well to hospital treatment, she then had another fall two days after Christmas and broke her hip.
Having been widowed on 28 December 1982, when her husband Ossie – a former Muratti footballer and president of Magpies FC – died, Mrs Eloury spent the 37th anniversary of her husband’s passing undergoing hip-replacement surgery.
‘She is definitely made of strong stuff,’ said Mrs Fitton. ‘She was doing extremely well after she was discharged and got back to Sandybrook, but then she caught the bug.’
Being diagnosed with Covid-19 was a new setback, but it was decided that Mrs Eloury would remain at Sandybrook and be treated there.
‘It was very difficult as she was restricted solely to her room, which was a particular hardship for her as she had enjoyed continued movement within the home to aid the recovery from her hip replacement,’ said Mrs Fitton.
But supported by daily visits from her family, care from staff at Sandybrook described as ‘fantastic’ by her daughter, and the company of a therapy cat called Sandy, Mrs Eloury shook off the effects of coronavirus.
And her recovery was complete in time for a small al-fresco party to mark Mrs Eloury’s 92nd birthday earlier this month, attended by friends and some members of her large family, which in total includes her son Mark, daughters Ann and Sue, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
There was also a chance to make contact with Mrs Eloury’s only surviving sibling, her sister Lillian, who has lived in New Zealand for many years and recently celebrated her 100th birthday.
‘The family and I are so proud of Gladys for coming through what has been a very difficult eight months and she is now healthier than ever,’ said Mrs Fitton. ‘She is an amazingly strong woman who constantly defies the odds, the leader of our family and we couldn’t be prouder of her.’
The man-of-the-match in football’s annual Muratti Vase receives the Ossie Eloury Trophy, presented in memory of Mrs Eloury’s late husband, and if there was a similar award for fortitude during tough times, there would be no more worthy nominee.
