Joy celebrates a joyous 100th with her family in Nijar, Almeria

JOYCE MAY CUSTANCE was born on May 27, 1922 in Weybridge (Surrey), England.

At secretarial college when the Second World War broke out, Joy joined the Women’s Royal Naval Service, later meeting Lt Cmdr Peter Allbeury, a Fleet Air Arm Swordfish torpedo bomber pilot. 

They married after the war, beginning a new life as farmers in North Yorkshire but later moved to the East Midlands when Peter retired from farming due to ill-health.

He passed away in 1991 and two years later Joy married Douglas Andreas, who had also served in the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War.

They enjoyed travelling and golf together for 17 years before Douglas passed away and Joy moved to a retirement home in Quorn near Loughborough.

In 2020, when she was diagnosed with dementia, her only son Nick encouraged her to relocate to Spain and in February that year she moved to the Residencia San Rafael in Nijar. Within weeks the world was immobilised by Covid 19, but Joy survived the pandemic thanks to the excellent care and attention she received there.

Although very restricted in her mobility and activity, and no longer able to talk about her life and family, Joy loves flowers and enjoys the San Rafael gardens.

She is in remarkably good health and on Friday May 27 celebrated her 100th birthday with her son Nick and his wife Carol, surrounded by photos of her two grandsons and family, flowers, champagne and a giant cake.

Happy 100th Birthday Joy!

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