A God-fearing and bubbly Millicent Clesfield Nurse celebrated her 100th birthday on Thursday in the company of loved ones, including two of the people dearest to her: her 95-year-old sister, Anita Greenidge, and 99-year-old cousin, Margaret Brathwaite-Burgess.
The centenarian, still sharp and full of spirit, credited her longevity to unwavering faith in God.
Her family and closest friends held a small celebration for her at her St Michael home, which she built with her husband.
“I’m happy today that I’m able to celebrate this 100th birthday,” she said, laughing. “I never thought I would live this long, but I am happy…. I’m happy to have all my family from both sides here, also those that represent Barbados,” she said, referring to President Sandra Mason, and her Member of Parliament, Trevor Prescod. “I’m thankful, thankful to God that he allowed me to understand what is going on.”
Raised by her grandmother in Brittons Hill, Nurse said her life was simple but grounded in strong values. “I come out of a very poor family, but a God-fearing [one] and most of my time was with my grandmother…. She taught me about God and how to live a good life, and so I gave my heart to Jesus as a child.”
The chatty centenarian shared that she did not complete school but was very good with her hands, which led her to make her own clothes, later going on to make clothes for others and then progressing to making hats. She said she also helped in her family’s shop in the countryside until she married her husband at the age of 30.
“We took care of ourselves and God supplied for us, and I can tell you I was never hungry. I didn’t always have what I liked, but I never went to bed hungry,” she said.
The centenarian told reporters how she and her husband travelled to the United States, where she worked as a caregiver for elderly Jewish families. After 21 years there, her husband told her it was time to return to Barbados, where it was warm.
“I was 63 when I came back. But when I came here, I didn’t work nowhere because I had an aunt to take care of, and he had his sister, and we had a little cheque that God provided, and neither one of us ever worked anywhere else since then,” she recalled.
The bubbly lady, who does not look nearly her age, constantly laughed while recounting her life’s story and thanking God for carrying her through. She thanked Dame Sandra for visiting her and admitted that she had always wanted to meet her.
Prescod confessed that he was not there in his capacity as MP but as a neighbour who grew up in her community as a child.
He recounted how her home was always peaceful and the encouraging words her husband shared with him as a young man.
Nurse said she felt accomplished and ready to meet her maker, who took care of her all these years, but the President and her MP disagreed, insisting she still had several more years to go.
She also shared with Dame Sandra her love for cooking, even as recently as the day before her birthday, and her bi-monthly church visits.
She advises young people to give their lives in service to God. “Serve the Lord, accept Jesus as your Saviour, and He will keep you…. My grandmother didn’t have anything, but my grandmother used to tell us that if God give you bread, thank Him.”
“Anybody that trusts in God and believe what the Bible says — God don’t lie. He does it.”
She said that although she was never a scholar, her mind is very sharp and she remembers everything. She believes it’s an opportunity to pass on her knowledge to the younger generation.
“My sister is the one that used to collect the children and from all the places and carry them down at the church and get books and things.”
Nurse’s cousin, Brathwaite-Burgess, who turns 100 next February, said the two women had shared a close bond since childhood despite growing up in different countries.
“Cless was always my big sister, and I love her for that,” she said. “With me, I have a lot of mixed emotions. I was born in Bermuda… but my roots was always in Barbados.”
The three women reflected on their lives with deep gratitude.
“We’re the last three of this generation,” Brathwaite-Burgess said, as the family gathered to celebrate a legacy of love, strength and unshakeable faith. (LG)
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