Kathleen Foster, a woman who prays constantly, celebrated her 100th birthday on November 8, 2024, at her residence in Lower Carter’s Gap, Christ Church, with family members, and close friends.
The President of Barbados, Her Excellency, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, also joined in the celebrations.
Mrs. Foster shared with Her Excellency that she was “very happy and giving God the thanks…praise and…glory”. She added: “I can’t talk to my God sufficiently – daily [and] nightly. I petition for my children to the Lord, and the Government. I don’t leave you all out. I pray even for the universe. I just pray the Lord will keep you all safe.…”
As part of the tribute to her mother, Lynda Callender, who is also her caregiver, said: “Mum, she is a woman that loves the Lord…. She had five children…. We all grew up in church. She made sure we went to Sabbath School because she is a Seventh-day Adventist.”
Ms. Callender also shared that Mrs. Foster was a strict but loving mother, who bought story books for them to “read every night”. She added: “Each and everyone would say those prayers in those books every night before we go to sleep…. We grew up with a loving mother…. She always tells us…you do nothing without God’s help…. She loves to pray.”
One of the centenarian’s granddaughters, Achacky Callender, whose mother passed away when she was 11 years old, praised her grandmother for raising her and for using “her money to send me to school”. She attributes much of her success today to her grandmother.
In sharing some of her personal experiences, Mrs. Foster remarked: “I worked real hard at the Geriatric Hospital (St. Michael District Hospital)…. We worked good though, we had a happy crowd.”
The centenarian continued: “When I worked, it was monthly and then after the maids and all of them say that they want their money weekly; it was $22.88.… It was a lot of money…. I did feel real good…and it used to buy a lot of things.”
Mrs. Foster (nee Callender) was raised by her grandmother in Carrington Village, St. Michael and attended Carrington’s Primary School (now George Lamming Primary). At the request of the family for whom her mother worked in Henry’s Lane, Bridgetown, she moved in with that family and stayed there until 1942. After returning to Carrington’s Village, she subsequently moved to Emmerton Lane, Bridgetown, and then to Lower Carter’s Gap, Christ Church.
It was in Emmerton Lane that Mrs. Foster lost the roof to her home during Hurricane Janet in 1955. “I pass through the first storm in 1955…the 22nd of September…. I had to go in St. Mary’s School…. The house top had blown off…. We had a good struggle,” she said.
After leaving school, she took up needlework. This was followed by part-time domestic work at the St. Michael District Hospital in Beckles Road. She was then offered a full-time role and continued there until retirement in 1984 at age 60, the age at which she married Mr. Stanley Foster (now deceased).
“They keep me going, going all the time and they didn’t even want me to retire. I come out at 60 years and that same year I was married,” Mrs. Foster shared.
It wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as concerns with hearing loss, that she began to restrict her movements.
Mrs. Foster, whose favourite foods are soup and ground provisions, avoids negative news and enjoys praying throughout the day, reading, and completing crossword puzzles.
Dame Sandra presented the centenarian with a bouquet of flowers, a bottle of non-alcoholic wine, and a personalised card. She thanked Dame Sandra for the gifts, remarking “wonderful”.
Mrs. Foster added: “God be merciful to the nation…. We can’t forget God; He is the creator, thank God. I glad to see you and may God richly bless you, in Jesus’ name, take care…keep good.”
At the end of her visit, Her Excellency said: “Thank you all for allowing me to be here. I am always grateful and happy to be with centenarians. We have to be grateful to persons like her who would have worked with such diligence to bring Barbados to the stage that it is, and they are the true builders of Barbados.
“Those are the people who, when I give out the Independence Honours every year, I wish I was able to see more of them because they have done so much for Barbados, and we need to be grateful…. She would have taught you so much ethics….
Continue to take good care of her…. I am sure she has a lot of years ahead of her.” Mrs. Foster had five children (one deceased), nine grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
Troy Barker