The Last Voice of an Era
How a 105-year-old Actress Taught Us to Live Fearlessly
When I learned of June Spencer’s death at 105, I felt something far beyond sadness. Here was a woman who lived through the entire 20th century and well into the 21st with a strength that many of us youngsters can hardly imagine. For 62 years, she gave voice to a character who became more real than many flesh-and-blood people.
While many of us can barely hold a job for five years, June stayed relevant for over six decades. And it wasn’t just a job — it was pure art, life transformed into radio waves.
What fascinates me isn’t just the longevity, but how she embraced difficult themes through her character, Peggy Woolley. Alcoholism?
She talked about it when people were hiding empty bottles in closets and pretending everything was fine. Gambling?
She explored its consequences when society preferred to sweep addiction under the rug. And dementia? My friends, she lived that story twice — in fiction and in real life.
The irony? While today we pride ourselves on being “authentic” on our carefully curated social media, June was there, on BBC Radio 4, giving voice to genuinely human stories, without filters or retouching.
