Enid Richards joined the over 400,000 centenarians worldwide after celebrating her 100th birthday on May 20, 2022.
On Tuesday 24, St Vincent Times visited Richards at home in Bonhomme, where family members and friends had come to spend the day with her. Richards was in excellent spirits.
A mother of three, Richards attended the Stubbs Government School from 1927 to 1933 and then worked in an arrowroot factory in Argyle to support her family.
Evern Richards-Pompey, one of Richards’ two daughters, says that although her mother’s memory is slow at times, she still speaks of her earlier life experiences as a woman in her 40s.
“Mom speaks of her youth from time to time, she gets fresh air and keeps a smile on her face throughout the day”.
“My mother is a spiritual baptist. She cannot attend church because of her age. “I’ll fly away”, a song penned by Albert Edward Brumley in 1929 and popularised by Jim Reeves, is her favourite.”
“I had good old days with her. She laughed, “I didn’t even understand the words of the songs then, but it was fun for me.”
During our visit, Enid could be heard calling Evern’s name to make sure she was still there.
“You can still hear her strong voice, and her favourite food is breadfruit and chicken. My mother is a wonderful woman and I am grateful to God for blessing her with a long life. I look forward to her 101st birthday”.
Richards-Pompey speaking about longevity in the family said her mother’s last sister lived to the age of 104.
Evern Richards-Pompey, Otelia Richards, and Joel Hoyte are Enid’s three children, with Joel living in the UK and Otelia in Canada.
