BY BGIS | JAN 30, 2024
President of Barbados, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, presents a bouquet of flowers to Barbados’ newest centenarian Ivy Odessa Brathwaite at her birthday celebration yesterday. (T. Barker/BGIS)
A lifelong educator, Ivy Odessa Brathwaite, celebrated her 100th birthday on Monday, January 29, with family and friends at her home in Salters, St. George.
Two of her specially invited guests were President of Barbados, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, and Senator Reverend Canon Dr. John A. Rogers, who led the proceedings with a prayer.
In a tribute, one of the centenarian’s nephews, Dr. Burke Brathwaite, said: “Every member of the family, as far as I can tell, of the Brathwaite family of my generation is here…and that’s testimony, auntie, to you and what you mean to us. We regard you always as a very caring, loving and kind person and you stand out all of the time.”
Dr. Brathwaite also spoke of the support given to his aunt. He said: “I can speak also to the support that to reach this age you must have received from Roger and Jane and from the caretakers. Never let us underestimate…how important caretakers are to get someone to 100 and to be in the shape that she is in.”
The centenarian’s daughter, Jane Brathwaite, shared that one of her fondest memories was the week they spent in Martin’s Bay at their grandfather’s house. Her brother, Roger Brathwaite, noted that his mother was “a great cook and a great baker”, and he was fortunate that she had passed on those skills to him.
Dame Sandra noted that Barbadians need to “sit down and talk to our older folk”, about what happened in their lives. She added: “A lot of us were poor and we didn’t know we were poor… We were poor with material wealth, but we were rich…in spiritual living and Christian understanding.”
Raised in Parish Land, St. George, Mrs. Brathwaite attended the St. George Girls’ School (now St. George Primary School), in St. George, until she reached 7th Standard. She returned to the school that same year as a ‘Pupil Teacher’, a development programme with no financial compensation for young school leavers interested in the teaching profession.
Mrs. Brathwaite kept enhancing her skills and competencies, joining the Erdiston Teachers’ Training College to earn a certificate in teaching. She also taught evening classes in Home Economics, where many of the students were seeking to migrate to Canada as domestic workers under the West Indian Domestic Scheme (which was similar in nature to the Canadian Farm Labour Programme).
She taught at the St. George Primary School until her retirement in 1984 at the age of 60. After retirement, Mrs. Brathwaite continued to be an active member of the St. George Parish Church and the Society for the Promotion of Church Music.
Despite reduced mobility, the centenarian is considered to be in good health. She enjoys keeping in touch with friends and family, attending church services remotely, and looks forward to returning to gardening one day.
In her closing remarks, Her Excellency commented: “We have to give you the credit for taking us from where we were, and you as a school teacher, … you would have imparted so much to so many people at critical parts of their lives and we want to thank you for that.”
Expressing her gratitude, Mrs. Brathwaite said: “I’m so happy that I can’t find words to express my joy and gratitude to God and to my family and friends; Alleluia, let us sing to Jesus; Alleluia, Alleluia.”
Mrs. Brathwaite, a widow, has one daughter, Jane Brathwaite, and one son, Roger Brathwaite.
