Described as a hard-working and strict individual all her life, Barbados’ latest centenarian Elise Broomes celebrated this milestone yesterday with a visit from Governor General Sir Elliott Belgrave along with family, friends and church members at the St Lucy District Hospital at Hope Road St Lucy where she has been a resident since last April.
Broomes, an ardent member of the Bethany Baptist Church at Mile-And-A-Quarter in St Peter, was born on January 8, 1913, at Fustic Village in St Lucy to Florence Moore. She was the first of five children and survives three brothers and a sister.
Broomes, who also resided at Oxford in St Peter, was very quiet at first as Sir Elliott presented her with a bouquet of flowers and a birthday card.
At the age of 28, Elsie married Newton Broomes and they enjoyed 33 years of marriage that produced eleven children, seven girls and four boys. Her husband predeceased her in January 1974 and so have three of her children – one son and two daughters. (RL)
