Peter Kavanaugh, Gleaner Writer

Mother Raymond. - photo by Peter Kavanaugh

She has seen the sun rise and set more than 38,000 times during her long sojourn in the quiet rural farming community of Grove Town, south Manchester, where she is looked on as a teacher, foundation builder, a lady of "Christian virtue", a strong disciplinarian, but most and foremost, a loving matriarch.

The lady of whom we speak is none other than Katherine Raymond, or as she is called in her community, 'Mother Raymond' or 'Sister K', a very special individual who happens to have been born in very humble circumstances on Septem-ber 14, 1903, more than 105 years ago.

Colourful life

Of course, as is to be expected, Mother Raymond has had many delightful and memorable experiences during the course of her long and colourful life.

The Gleaner caught up with the noble centenarian and other family members on the peaceful verandah of her house during a recent visit to Grove Town, and these are some of the stories we heard.

According to her youngest daughter, Berthel, 'Sister K', as wife and mother, used to walk and travel considerable distances in order to put bread on the table.

"At times she would get up before daybreak and walk to Alligator Pond with her load of ripe bananas and pears to sell, the proceeds of which were used to buy fish. The following day she would journey to Rock in Clarendon to sell the fish. She was doing a little butchering after my father Hubert passed on, but that was just for a short time," said Berthel.

Many children

Mother Raymond has eight children (one deceased), 42 grandchildren, 89 great grandchildren, 24 great-great grand, and two great-great-great grand.

Twenty years ago, she lost her sight and for 10 years she had to be led everywhere, but with the help of some medical doctors and the University of the West Indies Hospital she regained her sight. Mother Raymond has since resumed reading her Bible and sewing.

By nature, 'Sister K' was a dedicated community worker and on many occasions served as the unofficial village nanny.

According to Berthel, many "foster children" passed through her mother's hands, and because of her kind and giving nature she is well loved.

"She is a member of the Remnant Church of God, Seventh-day, and when she use to go she had a little piece of strap called 'sting well', and any child who was misbehaving at Sunday school soon got to know it, and no parent would quarrel as she was well respected," explained Berthel.

Berthel recalled an incident during Hurricane Charlie that in many ways demonstrated the proactive 'mother-hen' nature of her mother.

House collapsed

"It was 1951, and the family was living in a little one-room Spanish wall house with thatch roof and the hurricane [Charlie] came. At the time I was about seven, having just started Grove School, and that night we, the children, were all asleep at home and there was a huge rumbling and Mama got us up and said 'all of unnu come out!' She stood holding the door jamb and even my father who was a coward obeyed. I remember bawling out 'murder ... murder!' because I did not know what was happening ... we all got out just in time as the house collapsed.

"I remember my father saying, 'Katie, let it go. are you going to let the house fall down on you'?"

Mother Raymond's parents were Jonna Biggs from Resource and James Cappa of Grove Town, the district of her birth.

Excellent baker

According to her daughter, on the culinary side, she could bake excellent bammy and was generally helpful because of her understanding of herbal remedies. Once someone got ill in the community, her opinion would be sought, and the normal cry would often be "call Ms Katie!"

Mother Raymond, as a child, attended Grove Town Elemen-tary, and the records indicate that she was quite brilliant as she skipped a grade, bringing the anger and jealousy of her friends. Katie's humble beginnings meant she could not move much further though.

It is said that when she was growing up she was very good looking and all the village lads liked her.

On one particular occasion her parents sent her to the shop to buy salt mackerel, and one boy approached her and touched her in what was an inappropriate way, and she threw the mackerel on him.

Her late husband, Hubert Raymond, was a butcher by profession. He was a bit older but a well-respected churchman who passed on in 1960.