IT was with great pride and joy that Mrs. Kathleen Headley, also called ‘Nen’ of 34 Norton Street, Work-en-Rust, on Wednesday attained the venerable age of 100. And for this, she is eternally grateful, and gives thanks and praises to her Creator.

And in recognition of this signal milestone, a mass was celebrated in her honour, followed by a birthday reception at the Smith Memorial Church, Hadfield Street, attended by her relatives, friends and church members yesterday afternoon.
As she joins the ranks of Guyana’s few centenarians, she is gratefully acknowledging the contributions of everyone who has helped to make this possible through all the love and support she daily receives.
Born October 15, 1914, to Lionel Theophalus Norton, a farmer and religious elder and Rebecca Elizabeth Arthur, a housewife, she grew up in the thriving agricultural community of New Supply on the eastern bank of the Demerara River. The

only centenarian in her clan, she had five siblings – all of whom she’s outlived except one – her youngest sister, Lynette Francis, now residing in Barbados and England.
RIGHT RECIPE
With just about the right recipe for good health and longevity, Nen has been able to apply all the techniques that make for a life of quality and dignity, bereft of the aches and pains associated with old age. And so yesterday at 100, she’s just as bright as she was four months ago when, at 99 plus, she was first interviewed by the Guyana Chronicle.
Spritely and full of life, she places a high premium on exercising and eating right. For breakfast she opts to use a slice of bread with butter, raw oats (no sugar), an orange and a glass of water. For lunch, her favourite dish is chowmein served with chicken or vegetables, along with a serving of fish, carrots and peas.
Boasting “100 Not Out”, our winsome Norton Street ‘Grannie’ is as jolly as ever. She is alert, very vocal and possesses amazing critical thinking skills.

MANAGES ON HER OWN
And incredibly at her age, she tends her own kitchen garden, and insists on eating mainly what she plants. She does most of her own cooking and laundering, even though she has a part-time caregiver. Without a bother, she would trek to and from the National Insurance Scheme on Brickdam to receive her monthly pension.
On Saturdays she walks to Bourda Market to do her shopping. Then on Sundays, she foots it to and from Smith Memorial Church, where she worships. She concedes that all these activities play an integral part in safeguarding her health.
And of course she considers it a boon, being able to go to market and meet with friends of yesteryear. She is grateful too, and holds in high esteem, Mrs. Carmen Padmore, veteran stallholder in Bourda Market who gives her discounts on purchases, and hires a taxi to take her home each week after shopping there.
Nen, who has become well known and equally respected in her community, continues to age gracefully, but she is very modest.
Clean Bill of Health
Boasting a clean bill of health, she’s free of such chronic diseases as diabetes, hypertension, arthritis and heart complications. And even the common flu she manages to keep at bay, using self-prepared herbal potions such as carilla bitters, lemon, lots of vegetables, fruits and juices from her garden she tends to this day.
Driven by a love of farming, she tends a blooming kitchen garden, planted with a variety of fruits and vegetables all of which contribute to her health and longevity. And likewise, she is able to keep her food bills down and fertiliser out of her pot.
Small wonder she is so well physically and mentally. Without flinching, she would rattle off the names and dates of birth of her five siblings, all of whom have now passed on.

Nen’s first marriage was to Alvin Headley, a Fourth Fireman, on December 11, 1940 – just two weeks before Christmas. She still has vivid memories of shopping for the festive season; sewing curtains for the home, as well as cooking the traditional Christmas pepperpot; baking black cake, and brewing her favourite mauby, sorrel drink and ginger beer.
Chicken – 4c per lb.
Browsing down memory lane, she’d often marvel at the astronomical cost of food items today, compared to ‘back in the day’. She can recall with pride, just how much her princely pay packet of $30 per month could have bought. “In those days, that money could have bought plenty things, and I still had enough to ‘throw box,” she asserted.
“Oranges were 5 for 8c; condensed milk – 5 tins for 40c; chicken 4c per lb; 5 eggs for 8c and rice was 16c for one gallon,” she recalled with a chuckle, as if to say, “Things couldn’t be better.”

The couple lived happily until her husband’s passing in the mid-1940s. Following his death, she remarried in 1955 to Alban Headley who initially worked at Gun Fernandes Betting House.
Fire
During her second marriage, the couple lost their home to fire in 1992 but through it all, Nen remained trusting and demonstrated strong faith in God. And by honest work, within six months they were able to rebuild their home in Norton Street. Thereafter, they continued to share a wonderful marriage together until Alban’s demise in 1995.
HELP OTHERS

Meanwhile, Nen offers a word of advice: “Whatever your situation, be trusting and put your faith in God. When we’re blessed with riches or goods, it is given us for a purpose, but certainly not for us to be greedy and store it all up for ourselves. Help others in need.”
(By Shirley Thomas)