EUGINEA Williams (Aunty Jean) is known both far and wide as one of Guyana’s veteran disciplinarians. She has instilled high moral and ethical values not only in her charges, which included relatives, but also in many disturbed homes in and outside her community. She was also an avid singer and musician and, over the years, has naturally passed the legacy of rich music to off-springs and others in her family line.

She has been the public figure to inflict great justice and peace with her firm, sound and positive advice, and has been even more famous for rightfully admonishing even the sometimes elite snobs of today’s society.

When she turned 96 years on Wednesday last, it was quite natural for the folks at the Calcutta Full Truth Tabernacle — well-wishers, relatives and even outsiders included — to throw a lavish surprise birthday celebration in her honour.

Just the week before, I was lucky to be drawn into conversation with the still peppy and considerably alert Euginea, who was lamenting how some of her grandchildren had abandoned her, and how it tore at her heart-strings to witness their failure to visit and give her those special hugs and kisses of love that every old woman at Euginea’s age yearns for.

For several years, she had taken in her grandchildren when their parents had forsaken them; and she had maintained them as though they were the issues from her own womb, utilising the very little she mustered from odd jobs here and there, or from the small dividends she got from selling her juicy fruits — jamoon, mango, dunks, and genip. She has been known to take her very small old age pension also to make ends meet in the home.

A grandmother of such magnitude certainly deserves the love and security of the ones she cared for during her somewhat youthful days.

She was particularly aghast and crestfallen at the crude actions of one grandson, whom she had sheltered for many years after the cruelty of a wicked step-father had forced his mother to get rid of him or lose the relationship altogether.

She had fed that grandson and had schooled him for several years all on her own; but, sadly, when he became a man and attained high office, he deserted her altogether. He was not even at her birthday celebration, and that really hurt her sensibilities.

Surprise!! Surprise!!! As her 96th birthday drew near, surely she must had been hoping that she would be surrounded by all her relatives, especially those grandchildren for whom she had diligently played the role of ‘mother and father’ over the years. But her brethren at the Calcutta Full Truth Church,
Granddaughter Kay Mc Kenzie (left) and daughter-in-law Loretta Williams (right), assisted ‘Aunty Jean’ in sticking her own birthday cake.

Granddaughter Kay Mc Kenzie (left) and daughter-in-law Loretta Williams (right) assist ‘Aunty Jean’ in sticking her own birthday cake

Tabernacle Church, and sections of her family clan were secretly planning the spectacular birthday service and festivities which were executed on Wednesday.

When Aunty Jean got wind of their intentions, she was very touched; and I know she was hoping deep inside that this would be the opportunity for her to be surrounded by all her loved ones. So there she was with her feisty self, giving instructions that all her relatives be contacted and make an effort to be present at the function.

At about 13:00 hours that day, they dressed her in a brand new custom-made dress that was simple but still stylish — Euginea loves that sort of apparel — and she wore an adorable pair of matching moccasins. Her gray hair was done nicely in her favourite ‘country style bun’ by her great-granddaughter Anasa Latiff. And there she was, clutching her purse in which she keeps her savings and all her ‘fine change’ as she would call it.

And let me tell you, folks, no one dared attempt to get into that purse without her express permission. If they did, they would receive a ‘whack’ from the walking stick that Euginea carried with her most times.

The birthday service began at about 15:00 hours, but not before tons of food and non-alcoholic beverages were transported to the location. The area was nicely decorated by the sisters of the church, who had joined with relatives to do all the cooking; and there was a pretty pink and white cake at the head table.

Her grandson Rudolph Williams (Jnr.) opened the service with praises and stirring songs, before her son Sherlock English offered prayers to the Creator.
Then the floor was opened for speeches and well wishes, and the audience thoroughly enjoyed this session, as relatives gleefully reminisced on the usually ‘fiery eruption’ of ‘Granny’ — as everyone called her — as she administered discipline and order far and wide.

Pastor Desmond Ross, in his presentation, spoke about her strong inclination for discipline, order, and sound advice; while her youngest son, Alex English, reflected on the legacy of music she left behind.

Euginea, during her younger days, had ensured all her children were taught in the way of the Lord, and she had also ensured that they were taught music, hence their being gifted singers and musicians. To attest to her musical exploits, her son Rudolph Williams (Snr.) was there creating magic on the keyboard, while Sherlock and Rudolph Williams (Jnr.) led the gathering in joyous and melodious singing.

ALWAYS CREATES A STIR
Euginea has been known to make grand entrances, and to always create a stir wherever she goes; and that was exactly what she did on her birthday. Well, there she was as usual, fussing about wanting to blow out her cake candles herself. So, giggling with mirth, her granddaughter Kay McKenzie and her daughter-in-law Lorretta Williams helped her to the table, while a church sister lighted the candles. Maybe they were moving too slowly for ‘Aunty Jean’, so, without warning or waiting for instructions, she bent forward to blowout her candles. I guess she swooped too low, and her lips connected with the flames and candles and extinguished the whole lot. But of course she got hot wax on her left cheek and upper lip, and the ‘supporting ladies’ had to move quickly to remove the wax.

Then it was time for sticking the cake, but ‘Aunty Jean’ modestly nibbled a small bite and settled down nicely, smiling demurely with satisfaction. Thereafter, there was jubilant singing as relatives and supporters joined this good sister of the soil in celebrating a birthday that just sets her four years apart from her goal of living to a century.
By Alex Wayne