DUANVALE, Trelawny-

A buzz of excitement transformed this normally quiet town as hundreds of residents celebrated Violet Moss-Brown’s 109th birthday last Sunday.

Affectionately called ‘Aunt V’, Moss-Brown, the the oldest member of the community- and, some believe, the parish – was hailed as the ‘mother of the community’ by the many senior citizens who turned up for the party at her home on Church Street.

The tributes which came from people like Icy Allen, matron of the Falmouth Infirmary, spoke to her generous nature, among other virtues.

Allen, who is revered by residents of the parish for her pioneering work in transforming the infirmary to decency revealed that she grew up “in the hands” of Aunt V”.

” She is very motherly, very loving and when I lost my mother she mothered me and my siblings. One could always run to her in times of problems as a youth and even as a grown up,” said Allen.

“When I was a child anytime shoes or clothes couldn’t fit Punce (Brown’s daughter) they would be given to me. My father did not want us to take anything from people but he always say she have good heart,” recalled a 71-year-old resident of Brown’s Town, St Ann who was attended Sunday’s event.

‘Aunt V’ also proved to be good humoured, trading jokes with anyone who cared to test her wit.

The highlight of the party came when ‘Aunt V’ read a passage from the bible, on request, without the assistance of glasses.

Patrons were awed by the fact that she was able to locate the scripture from the 19th chapter of the second book of Kings, also without assistance.

More awe was expressed as her fingers moved expertly over her electronic keyboard prompting the gathering to involuntarily join in, singing henry F Lytes famous hymn, ‘Praise my soul, the King of Heaven.

Many attribute ‘Aunt V’s’ longevity to hard work.

Formerly the pianist at Baptist Church where she held numerous leadership roles for many decades, it is .

still common for her to be seen sweeping the yard and cooking, despite strong oposition on the part of her eldest son Hartland Fairweather, 89.

‘Aunt V’, however, attributes her long life to God’s blessings as well as to her honouring her parents.

” I am blessed. When I feel pain I put it to the great Physician I don’t go to doctor. I am blessed glad to see all of you,” she expressed.

She added: “I get up in the mornings and prepare my tea (hot). Sometime me shame when them other one gone to bed and me in the kitchen but me naw go a me bed hungry”.

Aunt V who was born on the same premises where she now lives eats most meats except poultry. According to Fairweather, Aunt V’s parents were not chicken eaters neither.

Apart from Fairweather, she has three other children alive, all over 70 years of age. They are Elsie Dowman 84, Barrington Russell, Morris Davis 78 and Idalyn (Punce) Wilks 71.

Elsie’s twin brother, Professor Irving Russell died while living in United States of America at the age 66.