Miss Ruthie, a remarkable centenarian

When you walk into Ruth Clementina Perrin's little yard in Beeston Spring, Westmoreland, most likely you will find her gazing at the hillside, wrapping her memory around the almost-forgotten piece of the south coast landscape which she has been viewing for decades.

Miss Ruthie, as Perrin is affectionately known, is 103 years old. Her hearing isn't what it used to be, and she sometimes confuses visitors with people from her distant past. She remains a symbol of longevity in the Coconut Hill area of Beeston Spring where she has lived all her life.

Miss Ruthie, who has five children - four of whom are still alive - has an ever-expanding family tree, which now consists of 30 grandchildren and 60 great and great-great-grandchildren.

STILL DOES CHORES

"She still cooks her own food and does light chores around the house during the day," said grandson Richard. "For the last 19 years, she has also been taking care of her 82-year-old son, Clement Bushay, who lost his sight to glaucoma back in 1993."

These days, Miss Ruthie doesn't speak much, but Clement seems only too happy to reminisce about the times when his mother used to work the farm, and at times, walk from Beeston Spring to Savanna-La-Mar and Frome to sell fish and bammy.

"She used to do a lot of farming and dig ground for people," said Clement, who worked as a carpenter before losing his sight.

During a recent visit to Miss Ruthie's home, missionary Leila Anderson, who works closely with those most in need in Whitehouse and surrounding communities, and Rochelle Forbes, public relations manager at Sandals Whitehouse, got a taste of her ageless charm and her son's stories.

Anderson, who, along with her missionary sisters Claudette Spencer and Constance Morrison, regularly visits Miss Ruthie, is simply amazed by the fact that at her age, Miss Ruthie is able to manage on her own.

However, fellow Beeston Spring resident Rina, a close friend of the sprightly centenarian, is not surprised by her capacity to function. She thinks good genes, naturally grown food, and the great climate of the hills, which have become second nature to them, is the secret of Miss Ruthie's longevity and health.

During the recent visit by Anderson and Forbes, Miss Ruthie received a donation of linen, food, and beverage supplies, courtesy of Sandals Whitehouse.