September 4, 2013 11.34 am This story is over 126 months old

Sisters reunited in Lincoln after 72 years apart

Heartwarming reunion: A Lincoln resident has been reunited with her sister 72 years after they last saw one another.
Kathleen Smith (84), reunited with her sister Violet-Rossini (80).

A Lincoln resident at the Order of St John Care Trust’s Beckside care home in North Hykeham has been reunited with her sister – 72 years after they last saw one another.

Kathleen Smith, 84, and her younger sister Violet Rossini, 80, last saw each other when they were just young girls before a family split saw them break apart for over seven decades.

Violet, who moved to Australia in the 1930s, had spent years searching for her sister before contacting the Salvation Army, who located Kathleen at the care home in North Hykeham.

Once Violet knew of her sister’s location, she and her grand daughter travelled over 30 hours to the UK to make the heartwarming renunion a reality.

“We’ve thought of each other and I’ve missed her a lot,” said Kathleen.

Violet added, “It’s like having a new family all over again.”

Kathleen and Violet will spend the next several weeks together making up for lost time before Violet returns to Australia, however the sisters intend on keeping on writing one another and video calling.