Newest centenarian takes life in humble strides
… says secret ingredients to a life well-lived are God and contentment
By Sunita Samaroo, June 20, 2014, By KNews, Filed Under News, Source
A resident at Archer’s Home accomplished something on Wednesday that less than one percent of the world’s population is ever able to achieve — he turned 100.
Patrick Parkinson De Weaver celebrates becoming a centenarian with his daughter Florence
Patrick Parkinson De Weaver born on June 18, 1914, celebrated becoming a centenarian with his daughter Florence Henry and other relatives, church members as well as Archer’s residents and staff at a Thanksgiving ceremony at the old folk’s home on Durban Street.
De Weaver said that he was born and raised at Beterverwagting, on the East Coast Demerara, along with his seven older siblings. His father was a diamond seeker and his mother, a school teacher.
De Weaver recalled that in his earlier years he had been enrolled as a pupil at St. Saviour’s Primary School, which is no longer in existence. He also disclosed that he had been a member of St. Phillips Anglican Church as a young man.
The soft-spoken gentleman said that he had left his parents’ house at the tender age of fourteen to work on the West Bank Demerara railway. He remembers clearly that it was whilst being employed there that he met and married his first wife, Earlene Lynch.
“I had just left school and worked on the West Demerara railway. I got married to Earlene Lynch, whose father was a train driver. We had two children together, but things didn’t work out. She claimed I deserted her, but I had to leave because she got disrespectful. She tried to handle me. I left her and went back to my mother. I started to work and the money was too small and she got disrespectful so I had to leave her. I took care of my children, but she still took me to court.”
De Weaver said that he has had many regrets in life, but the most outstanding would be that encounter with his first wife who was also the mother of his first two children.
“I have a mixture of regrets. My first would have to be exactly when she summoned me to court and said it was desertion.”
He said that after his marriage failed, that is when he moved to Georgetown.
The senior citizen recalled that it took a second try at companionship for him to find happiness.
“When I got a second wife Edna Skeete, in Lodge, she made me happy.”
With a sweet smile on his face he said “She used to work as a domestic and at that time I started working with Sproston’s.”
He explained that working with the shipping company, he earned more money and had a better relationship with his new wife – the mother of his other two children – because they had worked hand in hand to build their home.
De Weaver said that he had been working there as a maintenance boy, moving on vessels between Georgetown and Mackenzie for 34 years.
As if flooded by memories, De Weaver kept shaking his head. “The store more ‘nuff’ than plenty” simply meaning he had countless tales to tell.
The centenarian insisted that he wasn’t a “sweet-boy” but rather a mixture between a “sweet” and “good” boy. “While I wasn’t good, I wasn’t bad at all…so there is nothing I would change. I behaved myself.”
“I had my mother and I tried to be steady. I didn’t know what love was, even though I was married twice,” he reflected.
De Weaver claims that being humble and content are the keys to a long life.
“Contentment! That’s what has kept me going for all these years. I am a very contented person. My mother never gave up on me and was always there for me. Though she is no longer here, I learnt contentment and I took life and went with it. I must admit though, God has also kept me going.”
“I am not afraid of getting older. I have a daughter and she helps me out. Having family is very important as you get older. You need assistance.”
His daughter Florence Henry, the last of his four children, also recalled that her father was a bit nomadic – moving from BV to Charlestown, Lodge, Guyhoc, Lodge, and then to the Archer’s Home, where he has been for the past eighteen years.
De Weaver is now visually impaired but still manages to move around. A few years ago he was diagnosed with glaucoma and cataracts and the doctors advised that his age was a factor which prevented possible surgery.
His daughter says that he also has arthritis but he perseveres. She noted that a sinus condition is what bothers him the most.