CENTENARIAN, Mary Adela Crawford, passed away last Friday at her Number One Road, Corentyne home, after a brief illness. Crawford, who was known to many as ‘Aunty Vera’ had celebrated her 102nd birthday on March 29, with her close relatives. At that time, she had expressed gratitude to her creator for sparing her life to see so many years.

She had lived most of her life in the Corentyne village, where she nurtured many nieces and nephews, who subsequently sponsored many overseas trips. During her latter years, Constance Greig was her caregiver.

‘Aunty Vera’ had spent most of her retired years solving word search puzzles, a hobby she had developed after retiring as a seamstress more than a decade ago. But, even in her retirement period, she ensured that the curtains of Gibraltar Anglican Church were well fitted to beautify the place of worship.

Additionally, she ensured that the young women in her community were taught various forms of needlework, especially sewing, needlework and crotchet, so that they could remain productive. She was once married and, although childless, she was always surrounded by the offsprings of her siblings, who, collectively, brought much joy and laughter to her life.

At her last birthday celebration, she was described as being in the ‘pink of health’, and her only challenge was a hearing impediment. There was no preferred diet, as she was content with whatever foods were prepared for her. ‘Aunt Vera’, the sixth of ten children, is survived by her youngest brother, James Crawford.