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Dorothy Beckett, a 104-year-old Palo Alto woman and former Wimbledon tennis player, has died.

Beckett died at Stanford Hospital Sept. 6 of complications after breaking her hip and having surgery, according to her niece, Pat Morcott. In the hospital, Beckett continued to entertain staff with many stories, she said.

"Her head was good to the end," Morcott said of her lucidity.

Although Beckett's hearing was failing, she remained in her home until 2 1/2 years ago, when she moved into Sunrise Senior Living in Palo Alto.

Beckett was born Jan. 4, 1905, in England and moved to the United States in 1955. She married Richard Beckett, a mailman, at age 62. She played both singles and doubles tennis at Wimbledon in 1933 and 1934 as Dorothy Crichton, winning the first round in singles in 1933 by defeating Mrs. Andree Lucas 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, according to statistics on tennisforum.com.

At her 100th birthday party, Beckett said she never let much in life get under her skin. She enjoyed teas, hockey, and in her later years, lawn bowling and badminton and advised young people to "do a lot of exercise." She was a member of the Palo Alto Lawn Bowls Club.

According to research based the 2000 U.S. Census done by John Sink, vice president of programs at Avenidas, Beckett was one of 20 Palo Altans aged 100 or older and one of 15 women.

Beckett is survived by her niece, Pat Morcott, and several great-nieces and great-nephews and many friends.

A memorial service will take place Oct. 11 at All Saints Episcopal Church, 555 Waverley St., Palo Alto. Details are still being arranged.

— Sue Dremann