A brother and sister in their 80s have ‘gone full circle’ and now live in neighbouring rooms in a care home. Ruby and Max grew up side-by-side and in their later years find themselves living together at Catherine House Care Home in Somerset.
Despite their separate lives Ruby and Max have always stayed close. And now the loving siblings find themselves reunited at the care home in rooms right next to each other.
Max was already living there and now last month his big sister moved in too. Sherin Anup, home manager at Catherine House Care Home, said: “The bond between Ruby and Max is a testament to the strength of family ties.
“Even with the distance that life sometimes places between us, love and connection remain constant. It’s heartwarming to see them reunited at Catherine House Care Home, supporting each other in this new chapter of their lives.
“It’s still early days, just over a week in, and both are adjusting to the big change. We are delighted to have them as part of our Catherine House family, and we look forward to supporting them in their journey ahead.”
Ruby was born on 17th January 1936 in a cottage on Milton Lane, Wookey Hole, to her parents Hector and Doris Parfitt. Two years later on 14th May 1938, Ruby was joined by her younger brother, Max.
Ruby started out at an all-girls school, but around the age of 8, the family moved to Leighton, and both Ruby and Max attended Nunney Primary School. From there, they moved on to Oakfield Road School, where Max proudly played in the school cricket team.
Hector worked as a farm hand at Downhead near East Cranmore, while Doris ran the staff canteen at Foster Yeomans’ Tor Works. After school, Ruby was always busy – she spent her time helping out at one of the two local shops in Nunney – riding her bike back and forth from Leighton.
Later she continued to work there full-time always with a smile and a friendly word for everyone. Max’s path took a different turn when he was called up for National Service where he got a role as a personal assistant for an officer.
When he finished his two-year service, he worked in a shop in Frome but always dreamt of becoming a postman – which he succeeded in doing for over 25 years in the town and the nearby Somerset villages. Max found his match at 40, and Ruby jokingly told his wife Carol: “Thank goodness you found him-I thought I’d be looking after him forever!”
Meanwhile, Ruby married Tony Brown and embraced the role of a farmer’s wife, taking great pride in knowing every cow in the field by name and breed. Together, they raised two daughters, Linda and Jackie, while Ruby also found time to lead at the Girls’ Friendly Society (GFS), guiding young girls as they earned their homemaker badges.
Though she never fussed over gourmet recipes, her Victoria Sponges, Fruit Cakes, and Rice Puddings quickly became family favourites, beloved for their simple, comforting flavours. In 2023, Tony had needs than meant he had to move into a care home, so after 68 years of marriage, needing residential care, staying true to her vows of being together in sickness and in health, Ruby chose to join him not wanting to be separated from her husband.
Tony passed away just a month after moving in and Ruby found comfort and support in the wonderful community at Catherine House. Surrounded by a caring team and new friends, Ruby enjoyed sharing fond memories of Tony, knowing that she honoured their love and made the most of their time together.
Ruby diagnosed with a dementia, experienced a joyful turn in her life story when, in September 2024, her wonderful brother Max moved into Catherine House. Since 2019, Max’s mobility had steadily declined, which posed challenges since he and his wife Carol lived in a two-story house.
Carol utilised her skills as a trained carer to support his needs at home, however later in life he was admitted to hospital when his needs exceeded what could be managed at home which was heartbreaking for Carol as this was their only time apart during their marriage.
Caring for Max day and night always by his side with love and devotion was instinctual for Carol but with the decline in Max’s mobility led both Carol and Max to acknowledge that his care requirements surpassed what care could be provided at home – so they both agreed that residential care was best for his needs.
Ruby’s excitement when Max her brother not only moving into Catherine House to live with her but having the room next to her was extra special. And with fond memories still of Tony living in the home with her, she now has that special bond with her brother yet again.
The team at the care home know Max as ‘Ruby’s little brother’, as she never misses a chance to remind them that ‘he’s exactly two years and four months younger than me’.