Marion Evelyn formerly Fraser was born to Marcus and Germaine Fraser on November 11, 1911 at 11 a.m. (11/11/11 @ 11:00 a.m.). She was the second of eight children. Seventy-seven years ago Marion married Roy Evelyn and together they had 16 children, 13 of whom are still alive today to celebrate this milestone. Today she does not look a day over 80 – such is God’s blessings.

Marion Evelyn

Marion was a housewife (homemaker) all her life and when her eldest sister had to work, she took care of her five children and on weekends and school vacations her youngest sister’s two children stayed with her at #25 Matapal Street; not once did she ever mention the word “stress”. Stress seems to be a new word that just popped up out of a dictionary. On the days when times seemed to be a little more rough than normal, Ma would just say “God will provide” and provide he did.

Marion was asked once, how she did it and she said her motto was to always, “put God first!”

Marion has been a member of the St Dominic’s RC Church since it was a chapel. A confraternity member, few were the a pilgrimages, put on by the late Ms Weeks, she missed and she made it her duty to attend Divine Mercy Chaplet conducted by Jane Williams. Today she still attends Mass at least once per week.

Breathtaking for a 100 year old isn’t it!

It was indeed a pleasure for all the members of the Evelyn, Fraser, Joseph, Leonard and Bernard families to come together to celebrate unselfishly, this momentous occasion - Marion Evelyn’s 100^th Birthday.

What a milestone! How do we begin to pay tribute to such a wonderful and peaceful lady?

We all admire Ma. She is a blessing. This milestone is a journey that is blessed with good health, humility, loving family, and friends and how can we forget – long life.

How can we attempt to walk in her shoes? There is only one answer and that is to follow the route she took - God’s guidance and grace.

We asked just a couple members of the family to pay tribute to Marion, “Ma” as she is so lovingly called and here is what was said:

Marilyn Agness (daughter)

“Ma was an excellent cook and even if the food had no meat it was still enjoyable. Ma never made ‘parlour juice’ and this can be strongly supported by one of her nephews, who always said, Ma is the only one who could have made juice for him, her juice was always tasty and ‘morish’.

Ma has always been humble and contented all her life, all she ever asked for is if she is to grow old that she should be able to do everything for herself. Today she can say her wish has been granted. Ma is able to do everything for herself with little supervision.

When Solomon wrote the book of Proverbs – Chapter 31:10-31 he was thinking about Ma, because it is a perfect example of her life.

A few years ago, Ma told me that she was having the best years of her life.”

Debra Simon (Niece)

When someone reaches such a milestone one can only reflect and ask how come. “Is it that she took care of herself health-wise?”

“Was it her fortunes?” Certainly not! I pondered on these things and conceded that it could only be by the “Grace of God.”

“Ma is a living testimony. Ma never spent a day being bitter or resentful of her life’s choices. I believe that each one of us is given a cross, which we all must bear. What we do not realise is that when we abandon our cross we abandon Christ. “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).

“For carrying her cross Ma has received her just rewards in her latter days. Ma is blessed with good health, something money cannot by.

“Ma’s life is insightful. She bore the pain of human sacrifice and waited patiently for her just rewards.

“Ma is a true pilgrim, not just an adherent to religious customs but practicing the ethos of what Christ in his journey on earth showed us, love unconditionally.

“An institution represents order, where rules and regulation are followed. At 25 Matapal Street, there was no drill sergeant barking orders. The boys had their responsibilities and so did the girls and there was mutual respect.”

Simone Carr-Williams (granddaughter)

“Ma is a pillar! She was molded specially by God, himself. Ma you are God’s masterpiece. You were created in his image and likeness and by his Divine design.

God said –FAITH – and He gave you the strength to move mountains. To bear 16 children; to raise 14 of them, together with your nieces, nephews and grandchildren.

God said –HOPE- and He shaped the desires of your heart. He preserved you to this golden age where we can all celebrate you. For you prayed it into realisation and it was granted to you.

God said –LOVE- and He made you the amazing person that you are.We celebrate the beauty of Ma’s spirit. We embrace the dreams in her heart.We acknowledge the great joy she has brought to our lives and to our wonderful family. We realise just how much her life means to those around her.

In today’s world success is often measured by our personal acquisitions, assets or financial status. Ma cannot boast of any of these but through her journey here on this earth, one would have to be blind not to recognise that what really matters to God is our spiritual walk and our relationship with him and our fellow man.

May God richly bless our mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, friend, Marion Evelyn with good health and strength as she moves on to her 101^st birthday. – From the relatives of Mama.