Tributes paid to Prestatyn sequence dancer Norah Yates who re-married long term companion aged 100

Norah Yates, who had been twice married and widowed, tied the knot with her 74-year-old partner Malcolm Yates last October after the Beaches Hotel in Prestatyn after more than 25 years together.

She died aged 101 on Saturday, April 27, after a short illness.

Norah, who was teaching sequence dancing in Rhuddlan and Prestatyn until she was about 95, was born in Wrexham in 1917. In 1934, at the age of 17, she went was given a green card by the Labour Exchange and sent to work at the Prestatyn Golf House Hotel as a scullery maid and cook.

There she met Fred Thomas, who was working as a golf caddy at the time.

The couple married in 1935. She had one child, Marlene Thomas, who died in 1980.

Picture: Norah and Malcolm married at the beaches hotel. Pictured with her great-grandchildren. 

Norah worked briefly in the 1950s as a cook at Prestatyn High School before going on to run the school kitchen at Ysgol Penmorfa until her retirement in the 1970s.

Fred died in 1970. In her early 60s, she found happiness with Bert Witkiss. The couple married and shared 16 happy years together.

Bert and Norah enjoyed evening sequence dance classes - a love they shared at least three times a week.

When Bert died in the late 1980s, Norah continued dancing and met Malcolm who became her companion, partner and then husband.

Granddaughter Julie McGuinness said: “When gran met Bert, she transformed like butterfly.

“Life had been tougher before Bert so she had been a little conservative in what she wore.

Picture: Norah with her long-term love Malcolm Yates who she had been with for more than 25 years

“After meeting Bert, she learnt to swim, to drive. Her clothing became more colourful and trendy. She became known for dressing quite glamorously at the dances, whether they were classes or one of the many dancing holidays she went to over the years.

“With Malcolm devotedly by her side, she continued to go to the dances into her 90’s.

“Although gran was slowing down, they both went out for a drive every day without fail. Even if they simply sat in a café or at the beach. She was still going, with Malcolm, to her regular café for breakfast and restaurant for lunch up until a week before she passed away. She was still making friends with the regular customers and staff.

“Although she had no academic qualifications she was a naturally intelligent lady. Very sharp, quick witted, good conversation. Didn’t suffer fools too well.

“If she though you were out of order she would not be afraid to give you a piece of her mind, no matter how big you were or important you thought you were.

“She was a fun lady who liked a laugh and shone in good company. She had lots of friends in her younger days (she outlived almost all of them).

“You would not be bored in her company.

Norah on her wedding day

“She will be greatly missed by family and friends.”

Close friend Patricia Hopkins said: "My husband John and I have been friends with Norah for 30 years. She was marvellous, full of life. She knew everything, everything that was going on.

"I met her through sequence dancing. My husband and I live in Runcorn but we have a caravan in Prestatyn.

"The last time I saw Norah was about a year ago, but my husband saw her three weeks ago. Her and Malcolm used to sit by the window in the William Morgan and have breakfast, so that is where he saw them.

"Most of her life was dancing. She survived two husband and she married last year. She ran sequence dancing classes in Rhuddlan and Prestatyn right up to about 95.

"She told me her family lived down South - she missed them all terribly.

"She was a lovely lady, she will be sadly missed.

"Malcolm partnered up with her with dancing and she took him under her wing and taught him how to dance.

"They were very well suited."

Norah’s funeral will take place at 3pm on Wednesday, May 8 2019 at Christ Church, Prestatyn.