Tenby says goodbye to "Supergran" (From Western Telegraph)

Tenby says goodbye to "Supergran"

3:28pm Friday 3rd February 2012 in County News

Tenby has said goodbye to its most famous and oldest digital daughter today (Friday).

Lilian Lowe shot to global stardom in 2010 when she became the world’s oldest Facebook user. She died last week at the age of 104.

Affectionately known as ‘Supergran’ to her family and thousands of fans of the social networking site, Lilian was less than a month away from her 105th birthday.

She died peacefully two days after being admitted to Withybush Hospital. Her funeral was held this morning at St Mary’s Church, Tenby.

Lilian was at school when the First World War began, and could recall the sinking of the Titanic.

Her family did not even own a radio until she was a teenager.

But at the grand old age of 103, she took 21st century technology in her stride and signed up for Facebook to keep up to speed with her seven grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Within days of her story featuring in the Western Telegraph in 2010, she received thousands of messages from well-wishers and people of all races and religions seeking to be on her friends list.

“It’s been a very hectic time, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed myself,”

she said afterwards.

“I think it’s all a bit of a sevendays wonder, really.”

But the Supergran story has continued to captivate people throughout the world, and the Facebook community has added its own tributes to the many that Lilian’s family have received.

Moving to Tenby in 1963, Lilian took up the challenge of owning and running the town’s Croft Hotel, having previously been in the retail jewellery trade in Acocks Green in the Midlands. She immersed herself in the local community, becoming an active and long-serving member of Tenby Inner Wheel.

Lilian lived life to the full, even visiting Australia to celebrate her younger sister Mary’s 80th birthday.

Upbeat until the end, Lilian was renowned for her sense of humour, straight talking and sociability. She loved to welcome visitors, and was delighted recently by a call from Derek Brockway, her favourite TV weather presenter.

Last February, Lilian celebrated her 104th birthday with family and champagne.

“I don’t quite know how I have come to be 104 – I had no plans to live so long,” she smiled at the time.