Blanche Gray - Adrian Frater

Western Bureau:

While not being able to match the boundless energy levels of her doting great-grandchildren, her radiant smile, sharp intellect and engaging personality leave no doubt that even at 100 years old, Blanche Gray, of Cassava River in Glengoffe, St Catherine, is still full of life.

To mark the important milestone in the life of the woman who was born Blanche Eunice Distant, on June 3, 1909, her five surviving children, 54 grandchildren and scores of great-grand and a few great-great-grandchildren gave her an unforgettable birthday party at her home recently.

something special

"This is a very special time in the life of my grandmother," said grandson Donavan Reynolds, a United Kingdom-based social scientist. "Getting to 100 years old is something special and having five generations of offspring around to celebrate it clearly makes it extra special."

In fact, for the charming centenarian whose smile remained radiant for the entire day, the chance of revelling in the love of her relatives, some of whom had travelled from United States, England, Canada and the Bahamas, surpassed all the many and varied gifts they brought for her.

When quizzed about what she liked most about her birthday party, the former housewife answered as though she were anticipating the question. "the outpouring of love," she said. "Today I met some of my great-grandchildren whom I did not know," continued Gray. "They are all so wonderful and sweet ... this is really a lovely day and I am really enjoying their company."

According to 'the birthdy girl's' 72-year-old son, Floyd Gray, the fifth of the eight children she produced with her late husband Egbert, his mother has always had a great love for children and basically had a hand in the rearing of most of her grandchildren.

loving

"She has always been a housewife and my father was a farmer, so she took care of the children while he went out to provide for the family," he said. "She was always loving and caring but when it came to discipline, she was always quite strict."

During the course of the day, family members related numerous stories and many cherished memories they have, growing up around their grandmother, whom they all claimed always paid special attention to their well-being; from providing lunches to helping with homework.

Despite her advanced age, Mrs Gray still maintains a very close relationship with her children, whom she regularly speaks to on her cellular phone.

"As you can see, her mind is still sharp and her memory is fantastic," said Reynolds. "As you saw, she was able to provide the correct spelling of her name and all the information about her date of birth."

While her decreasing mobility has impacted her ability to attend church, Mrs Gray remains rooted in her Catholic faith and her priest visits her at home regularly to give her Holy Communion. On her own, she spends a lot of time reading her bible.

Despite reaching the enviable century mark, Mrs Gray is still looking forward to celebrating many more birthdays as, according to her, she is confidently looking forward to surpassing the age of her late sister, Hilda Distant, who lived to be 105 years old.