Nora Miller-Welsh, the woman who mothered an entire community in Hanover and lived to become Jamaica’s oldest super-centenarian, died peacefully in the arms of one of her caregivers.
Miller-Welsh was 110 years old when she passed. Up to the time of her passing, she was a devoted Seventh-day Adventist Christian and shopkeeper.
Miller-Welsh was born March 28, 1914 but, as the years passed, she was forced to move around through the use of a wheelchair, guided by caregivers in her community, Wood Church Square in Blenheim, Hanover, which is also the birthplace of former prime minister and National Hero Sir Alexander Bustamante. He served as head of state from 1962 to 1967.
At 110 years, ‘Miss Nor’, as she was affectionately called, did not have any biological children of her own, but was known as a proud supermother who helped to raise the children of her husband and a long list of others from the community.
According to one of her two caregivers, the centenarian became unresponsive while taking her morning shower on Saturday, July 6, and they summoned the police. Her death was later confirmed.
Although her passing did not come as a shock to many, it has left caregivers and her spiritual leader mourning as they reflect on the historic journey and life she lived over the last century and decade.
“She took her last breath in my arms about 8 o’clock that morning when she was taking a shower,” said Paulette Grant, a caregiver, as she retraced the centenarian’s last moments alive, three days after the passage of Hurricane Beryl on July 3.
“When I wanted to turn Ms Nor while bathing her, she was not responding. So I put her on the bed and alerted a neighbour and the police about her condition,” she noted.
Grant, who has only had just under two years’ experience working with the centenarian, shared with The Gleaner that Miller-Welsh’s death has left a void in her life, as she was a loving person who always showed appreciation for the things people did for her, especially her caregivers.
“She will be missed, certainly, she is a nice person who was gracious and thankful to God for everything we did for her,” said Grant.
A mother to all of us’
Zelda Spence, 60, who spent many years caring for Jamaica’s oldest centenarian, says she is going to miss her as she, too, became part of her extended family.
“She was really a mother to all of us, even though I was working for her as her helper and caregiver. It’s going to be hard knowing that I will not be going to her home anymore, as she is gone,” admitted Spence.
Dwayne Thompson, pastor of the Dias District of Seventh-day Adventist churches, told The Gleaner that the church and the wider district of Dias, including Blenheim, are mourning the death of a woman who served her God and cared for everyone, especially the children.
“We have lost someone who has done some tremendous work in adventism,” Thompson said of Miller-Welsh, who once served as head deaconess at the Blenheim Seventh-day Adventist Church.
He told The Gleaner that meeting Miller-Welsh has been one of the most memorable moments in his Christian ministry, knowing that she had been blessed with long life to the point that she had lived past 100 years.
“It was one of the most humbling feelings to have met someone who has lived past 100. At 110, she had outlived the late Queen Elizabeth who, despite her long reign, was only able to get to 96 years old,” the Seventh-day Adventist pastor noted.
Tributes have also come in from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the National Council for Senior Citizens, expressing sadness at Miller-Welsh’s passing.
“At the time of her death, she was a super-centenarian and Jamaica’s oldest citizen. Aunt Nor’s life added more than 110 years of colour to our nation’s remarkable story,” said Cassandra Morrison, executive director at the National Council for Senior Citizens.
Morrison spoke of the fondness that was exhibited on a recent visit with her when Minister Pearnel Charles Jr and the team greeted her on May 19, in observance of National Centenarian’s Day.
“The ministry and National Council for Senior Citizens extend our deepest condolences to Mrs Welsh’s family, friends, and the Blenheim community. Aunt Nor will be sadly missed,” she said.