Friday, April 26, 2024 was no ordinary day for Lascelles Thomas, Desmond Thomas, Herbert Thomas, Phyllis Thomas, Maureen Thomas Anderson, Roseann Henry, and Peter Thomas. Their mother, Mavis Thomas, was celebrating her 100th birthday and the mercury gauging their euphoria was soaring to dizzying heights.

Preparations for the celebration of this milestone scheduled for the next day were in full frenzy. The flights out of North America couldn’t touch down at the Norman Manley and Sangster International airports fast enough with her family.

Neither could the motor vehicles coming from Clarendon where she was born, as well as those coming from St Ann, St Mary and all over Portmore and city Kingston with other members of her family and extended family snaking their way to the destination.

The celebration day arrived and ‘Miss T’ or ‘Grandma’, as she is affectionately called, was happy to see all the lights and the smiling faces. But alas! She didn’t know whom they were, robbed by dementia of her memory years ago.

One thing that it couldn’t snatch though, is her memory that God gets the glory every time and that she does. So, like everyone at her birthday celebration, she was happy. And even though it was her birthday she was giving out gifts. “God bless you and keep you.” That’s her regular gift to everyone and did she give out those blessings!

Miss T is known for her kindness to everyone and was lauded for it that evening. Maureen, one of her daughters in her tribute on behalf of her siblings said: “Grandma, you taught us the true meaning of the expression ‘sharing is caring’.

“Your generosity is beyond compare. You taught us to love and care for each other and to look after the less fortunate among us…You modelled for us how to care for our neighbours by feeding those without food and yes, you gave from your meagre resources because you didn’t have much.

“You have taught us well and so with open and eager hands we snatched the baton you passed to us; now we are running our leg of the race, cognizant of the fact that we have huge shoes to fill, yet, we run anyway and with determination to honour you.”

Miss T has 12 children with her husband Zachariah Thomas who predeceased her decades ago. She has 20 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren and 10 great-great-grandchildren.

If you asked her children the reason for her strength they would tell you, her total reliance on the Lord. They would also attribute it to her
Bible which weighs about 5lbs. No joke.

This heavy Bible was given to her by Maureen about 20 years ago. Miss T goes everywhere with it. No wonder she is so fit. A 100-year-old, woman moving about unaided with a Bible that is like a 5-lb dumbbell. If you want to see her angry, try taking that Bible from her!

Nurse Brendalyn Brown Cameron, one of Miss T’s nurses, observed: “She never says an unkind word, she is always blessing somebody, always telling somebody that ‘the Lord bless you and keep you’. You could see that this lady was chewing Bible leaves, or ‘chaw Bible leaves’, as the older people would say. She is a bundle of joy.”

Nurse Brown Cameron heaps praises on Miss T for eating well, going to the bathroom to wash her mouth and hands after she is finished and taking care to dry every finger. She moves around without a walker, holds on to nothing and no one…except her Bible.

The tributes flowed and the festivity went into late evening, but the best part of the celebration for her could well be that prayer that Bishop Alvin Bailey, a family friend, said for her, giving God the glory.

Mavis “Miss T” Thomas, 100 years old and still batting.

Miss T (centre) surrounded by love from her grandson Howard and daughter.

Miss T (right) and her youngest sister Valerie share quality time.