103-y-o Irvin Kiffin still living his best life

At 103 years old, Irvin Kiffin is still going strong, even recently taking an axe to cut down a mango tree on his property in Broward County, Florida.

Kiffin attributes his longevity to eating food from the earth and working hard.

Born on February 11, 1922 in Frankfield, Clarendon in Jamaica. Kiffin was one of 13 children.

He, in turn, reared four children, giving them a fine education, and has travelled to several countries across the world. In fact, he is slated to visit Paris, France in July this year.

It all began for him in Frankfield where he attended Johns Hall and Frankfield elementary schools. Not having the opportunity to attend high school because his guardian at the time had him doing chores instead of going to school, Kiffin worked with his father in the field that the family owned.

According to his daughter, Valerie Kiffin-Lewis, her father had a hard life growing up, as he was given away by his grandmother to a woman who claimed she was his aunt and did not allow him to pursue his education, although he did very well in school. His grandmother, Kiffin-Lewis told The Gleaner, thought that, by giving him to the woman who claimed to be his aunt, he would have had a better life.

However, this was not to be as she was reportedly abusive towards him.

“He spent much of his time working the field with his father,” Kiffin-Lewis said.

At age 19, Kiffin escaped his life in Jamaica, moving to New York to live with an aunt named Mother West. He attended a trade school where he studied to become a mechanic.

According to Kiffin, he was sent for by Mother West. She had returned to Jamaica after living in the United States and purchased a home as well as a hotel in Kingston.

“She paved the way for me to come to New York,” he told The Gleaner.

LIFE IN NEW YORK

After settling in New York, Kiffin worked at Standard Paper Bag company, rising to the position of foreman.

During his time in New York, he met the woman who was to become his wife and, in 1947, they got married. Together, they had two boys and two girls and were able to purchase their first home in Ozone Park in Queens, New York.

Kiffin and his wife would later build their own home on land in Springfield Gardens, Queens, New York. They also purchased a brownstone in Brooklyn that was later sold just before he moved to Florida in 1978 after retiring from Standard.

Kiffin attributes his longevity to eating green bananas and drinking the water in which the bananas are boiled.

“I am big on eating food from the ground and working hard,” he said.

While he has some trouble hearing and exhibits some symptoms of senility because of his age, Kiffin is still living his best life.

He has visited such states as Alaska and Hawaii and countries including Israel, Greece, Canada, Kenya, Norway, Germany Italy, and England. He frequently visits Jamaica, most recently in July last year.

His daughters tell The Gleaner that they do not travel to countries without him being part of the grouping.

Kiffin has seen his children grown and are successful in their chosen fields of endeavour. One daughter is a doctor, another is an attorney, one son is a state court magistrate, while his other son, Irvin Kiffin Jr, played basketball professionally for the San Antonio Spurs before going on to become an educator.

“Our father was big on education and ensured that all his children got a proper education,” Kiffin-Lewis told The Gleaner.

Kiffin said he looks forward to living as long as God allows.

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