I CANNOT refrain from writing a short note on behalf of the Humanitarian Mission of New Jersey Arya Samaj and the members of its Guyana Chapter after hearing of the sudden demise of a dear friend of the organization, Mrs. Ismay Spooner, Guyana’s oldest living person.

The news of her passing came as a shock to me and the organization, and the void is now being felt with profound sadness.
Ismay was born in Barbados on December 27, 1900 to Bajan parents. Her father, Livingston, died before she was born, but her mother, Louise, lived to the ripe old age of 102.
Her two brothers and two sisters are all deceased, leaving her as the only surviving member of her family. She married Harold Spooner, a cane-harvester, in the then British Guiana. He is also deceased.
The centenarian recounted that she left Barbados at the age of 10 with her mother and uncles for British Guiana.
Ms. Spooner was a friend to me personally, and to all of us at the New Jersey Arya Samaj Humanitarian Mission/Guyana Chapter. She was well known for singing her spiritual gospel songs, and sharing her wonderful life’s experiences.
She has touched the lives of many, and left all those who happened to cross her path many pleasant and wonderful memories. She loved singing to the core of her being.  It is indeed a terrible grief that has come upon us. She will be greatly missed.
The life of Ismay Spooner was indeed an unselfish one. She was always ready and willing to advise, and to share her wisdom with anyone who cared to listen. She was also contented with whatever life threw her way.
She never forgot to bless the person who gave her a gift, no matter how small that gift was; she also counted each day that she lived as a blessing from God. I remember her singing songs like ‘Precious Lord take my hands and lead me home’ and ‘This world is not my home, I’m just a-passing thru’. I know she is happy in the Lord, because it was always her desire to go to her Maker. She always talked about this chariot, and someone coming to take her Home.
And every time you asked how she was keeping, her stock response was either: “I’m trying by the grace of God…” or “Not of the best; you know old age: Some days are good, and some are not.”
She was also in the habit of saying things like, “I’m here, living by the mercy of the Almighty,” or “Without God, I am nothing.”
I once asked her the secret to her longevity, and her response was: “OBEDIENCE to God brings many blessings, but when you are disobedient, you allow a curse to come your way.”
I was blessed to have helped celebrate her 111th birthday, with her reminiscing on her long life and her relationship with Christ.
To the family who was there beside our Dear Mother, ‘kudos’ must be given to you. You have contributed to the longevity of this noble soul.
She will be greatly missed by the members of this organisation, her church members, her caregivers, and her many friends.
May God Almighty grant her eternal rest; May her soul rest in peace.