Centenarian Rebecca Barrett - Tashieka Mair

By Tashieka Mair, Star Writer

WESTERN BUREAU

Even though her memory comes and goes, centenarian Rebecca Elsian Barrett is standing strong at 102 years old.

The senior celebrated her 102nd birthday on Monday, March 5 and was apparently in a good mood when THE STAR visited her home.

The daughter of Bunkers Hill in Trelawny was the sixth of seven children for her parents Ellyn Hines and William Edward.

Mrs. Barrett was unable to recall the name of the elementary school she attended, but recalls that as a child, she helped her father farm and cut grass in the yard.

"When we deh home, we weed grass and clean up around the yard," the centenarian said. "Sometime we plant coco, yellow yam, renta (yam), St. Vincent yam and all dem ting. But mi can't do nutten now mi a ole woman."

Mrs. Barrett added that she loved to prepare and drink 'busi' and coffee tea. She also said that she loved to eat pork.

"Pork ah nice meat. You can boil it and you can roast but di roast one taste nice," she said smiling.

She recalls quite clearly her marriage to her late husband Edwin Barrett, who passed away in May 1999. The couple wedded in 1949 at the Unity Baptist Church in Trelawny.

The union produced three sons and four daughters, 33 grandchildren, 59 great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren. Two of her sons have died before her.

Courting days

Mrs. Barrett laughed as she remembered her courting days with Edwin and how they would "meet up on the road sometimes".

She caused laughter in the room when she said that if her husband were to come back, she would only remarry him "if him have money".

She encourages women to "learn to cook, sew and iron" if they want to make their husband happy.

Her daughters, who were present during THE STAR's visit to the home of the centenarian, said their mother, who was baptised in 1950, worked extremely hard especially to take care of them.

"She was always a hard-working, honest and very peaceful person and she is a very caring mother," her daughter, Lorell, said.