LEONARD Campbell is beloved and known throughout Hertford, Westmoreland, and its environs as the man who raised the community. Surrounded by the very children he raised and other well-wishers, Campbell rang in his 100th birthday at his home on Thursday.

Known affectionately as Maas Len, Campbell was born on March 23, 1922 in Shrewsbury, Logwood in the parish where he resided until 1948 when he moved to the neighbouring community of Hertford. This is also where he met his wife Melzita Campbell. She passed away in 2008 at the age of 86.

Campbell told the Jamaica Observer he never left her side during her final days.

“Mi married her and both a we take care a each other. Mi used to get up a morning time and look after food and put down, and mi used to feed her and hold her cause she couldn’t feed herself. Mi never leave her go nowhere — mi bathe her, powder her, comb her hair. And the Thursday evening mi a feed her she seh ‘Maas Len, you take care a mi enuh. God bless you,’ and the Friday morning she dead,” he recalled.

Though he was unable to move around on his own and his sight is slowly leaving him, Campbell has an impressive memory that would put many youngsters to shame. This was seen as he spent the better part of the evening recalling events from as early as his teenage years, such as how he used to fall asleep under the naseberry tree behind his house after work.

Having been abandoned by his father at a young age, Campbell dropped out of school to provide for his mother and siblings.

“Mi madda did have the likkle ones so mi did haffi sit down with them sometimes. Then mi did haffi work fi mind mi mother and the likkle ones dem and, thanks be to God, mi did able fi take care of them,” he reflected.

He said he would do jobs on sugar estates like cutting cane and loading grass into donkey carts until he was able to leave the island for the seasonal agricultural worker programme, during which he said he had to work very hard to provide for his siblings and give them a good life. This he continued with his own family.

Having lost a son at infancy, Campbell said his wife was unable to have any more children so they opted to adopt three and fostered many more children over the years.

“She have operation cause she did have wan growth. A three a dem [children] mi did tek one time and a mind. Two sister, Elaine and Debbie, and one bredda. Mi send the bredda guh learn trade and him talk seh mi send him guh learn trade and a it him a live off now…mi tek care a dem,” he told the Observer.

Now unable to see from one eye and with a cataract growing in the other, Campbell enjoys listening to various programmes on the radio.

“All sort a things come pon the radio, plenty things. You have some Christian people come on all a night-time fi one hour, some come on Tuesday morning — one man and one woman — and mi sit down and mi enjoy dem,” he said.

At his 100th celebration on Thursday patrons were scattered all about Maas Len’s yard echoing similar sentiments about how Campbell loved and raised many children in the community.

Fidel Johnson, a resident of Hertford, said he grew up watching Campbell take youngsters from the community into his home to care for them. He said himself and his sister were once recipients of Campbell’s kindness.

“Mi know Maas Len from mi a likkle youth. A mi niece and nephew grandpa so you can seh we a one family. From mi born mi know Maas Len and him wife Miss Melzita. She was a nice lady and mi grow round dem. Mi sister Ann-Marie grow inna dem han said way, whole a we. Mi and Maas Len used to sit down pon the verandah and reason nuff time. He’s a good good man and mi glad fi know seh him live to see one hundred,” Johnson said.

Donald Gordon, who was raised in the house adjacent to Campbell, reiterated how much the elder loved children and how he inspired the community.

“His house was open to people. I can’t recall him having a biological child but he had children who he grew with his wife, and those are the children who are really pushing out for him. We are more than elated at this time to see something like this happening in this community. What I most appreciate today is, I have never witnessed anyone getting to the age of one hundred in this community and he did much as it relates to his service to the community,” Gordon shared.

Campbell’s granddaughter Jonelle, who travelled from England for the special occasion, was one of the close family members who shared in the celebration.

“He raised my mom since she was small and other children as well. I’m just very grateful that he’s lived to see such an amazing year. I’m incredibly proud of my granddad; he’s the pillar of the community,” she said.

During the evening’s festivities many more people took turns to speak of Campbell’s kindness, gentleness, and how hard-working he was.