One hundred is not just a number, but a testament to a life well-lived.
This sentiment summed up the life of centenarian Edna May Rock of Cave Hill, St Lucy, who spent her 100th birthday at home, surrounded by family, friends and special guest, President The Most Honourable Jeffrey Bostic.
Rock’s youngest daughter, Dr Letnie Rock, said her mother was a seamstress for years before realising the occupation was not earning enough for her growing family – eight children in all, two of whom are deceased.
“She could make dresses for brides, bridesmaids, and church dresses. I remember her making suits for persons who were leaving Barbados to go to England, but what I liked best was that Mama would make us nice, pretty dresses.
“[However] after Mama realised that the people she was making the clothes for were not paying right away, and she had the children to support, she decided that she would have to work the land,” she said.
Letnie said her mother was married to tailor Rupert Astley Rock for more than 70 years before he died in 2019. She said her mother, in an effort to increase their income, started working in the cane fields as well as growing a variety of ground provisions.
The university lecturer described Rock as a strict disciplinarian, capable of outrunning her children and even grandchildren when it was time to use the belt. In addition to eight children, Rock has eight grandchildren – one deceased, two adopted grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
But besides the strict discipline, Letnie said her mother still loved them dearly and instilled in them a sense of pride and a fear of God.
“Mama was always, always there for me. Mama was a stay-at-home mom, and therefore, every day when we would come home from school, Mama would be always there. But if you didn’t see Mama, it was like we could not sit, stand or go until we could find out where Mama was. So from that time, Mama has always been the centre of our lives – she’s our anchor,” she said.
Letnie said her mother was patient, generous and witty and encouraged her children to always conduct themselves with dignity in public. She credited her mother for being the driving force behind her achieving her doctorate.
“She always encouraged us in anything that we would do in terms of our education. If we didn’t do too well at school, she would just say, well, next time you will try harder. She would just say, just do your best. And once you’ve done your best, she said, I’m satisfied with your best.
“And I can humbly say and will say that from my undergraduate to my PhD studies, Mama was there for me and helped to fund my studies even at a PhD level, because I wasn’t on scholarship. But had it not been for my mom, I don’t think I would have been able to afford it at that time, 32 years ago, to do what I did,” she said.
Rock is blind in one eye due to glaucoma and can no longer walk due to an accident where she broke
her hip, but her hearing and her mind remain sharp. She and the President spent some time sharing banter and laughs, and the day was filled with tributes, songs and love.
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