Punchard was born in Springfield Lane in Ipswich, Suffolk, England on 19 July 1904. Her aunt, Selena Cook, was a Salvation Army captain who was aboard the Titanic in 1912; Punchard was relieved when she returned.

At the outbreak of World War I, Punchard and her family were staying in Felixstowe, Suffolk as her father was working there, building bungalows. She went to secondary school in Bolton Lane, and was later employed by the National Deposit Friendly Scheme, where she worked for 42 years before her retirement aged 64. She was also the treasurer at her local church.

Punchard never married and had no children. She began driving in 1934, and one of her earliest experiences was encountering a herd of cows that were being led to be milked. She relished time spent travelling, visiting Switzerland on eight separate occasions as well as southern France, Australia, and Scotland.

Punchard lived independently until 2013, when she moved into a care facility at the age of 109 after suffering a fall. Throughout her life, she was affectionately known as ‘Punch.’ As a centenarian, she attended church services every Sunday.

Punchard died on 12 August 2015 following a brief illness at the age of 111 years, 24 days.