MARIGOT--St. James resident Veronique Javois celebrated her 100th birthday with a grand party organised by her family and District Council Five in the restaurant of the Lycee, Marigot, on Saturday night.
Few of us will ever hope to reach that grand age, let alone stay up for party in our honour that ends around midnight. But that showed her extraordinary fortitude and despite some deafness she was able to absorb and enjoy the party put on for her. She clearly enjoyed the music and was often seen to be rocking from side to side to the beat of Session Band and singer Addie Richardson.
Veronique arrived around 9:00pm on the arms of close relatives Raymond Lake and Dalie Javois to take her seat, a special chair where adoring family, friends and elected officials greeted her to wish her the best.
Among elected officials paying tribute to her longevity by their presence were First Vice-President Valérie Damaseau, Third Vice-President Annick Petrus, Territorial Councillors Annette Philips and Louis Mussington, President of the Collectivité’s Culture Commission Yolande Sylvestre, and Députée of St. Martin and St. Barths Claire Javois, Veronique’s niece.
“It is with great joy that we are here to be celebrating Veronique Javois’ 100th birthday,” said Damaseau in heartfelt remarks. “It is indeed by God’s grace that she is here among us. It’s an honour to see her walking in to her celebration and to have the ability to still rock to the music. May her legacy live on and continue to give pleasure to her family and friends. I pray for God’s guidance to protect her. Happy 100th birthday.”
District Five president Paul Whit said he and the association remain committed to the recently-announced rebuilding of Veronique’s house, which is already under way. He gave credit to President Gibbs’ Cabinet Director Hervé Dorvil for making it possible that young people can be employed on the house-building project.
Pastor Eugene Hodge gave a blessing in front of close to 100 invited guests and family in the beautifully decorated restaurant. Several guests and family members stood up to pay tribute to Veronique and presented her with gifts.
Veronique Javois was born in St. Martin on May 18, 1918, spending most of her life at the house on Rue de Hollande where her main occupation was as a baker. She used a wood oven that was built by her late husband Paul Javois and baked bread for the residents of St. James and Marigot. She started baking bread when she got married at 21 in 1939.
“People would line up to buy her bread before they went to work, and when she got too old to bake, she started selling bread for another company,” Claire Javois said of her aunt last year. “She was always in the bread business. Because she had no children of her own she was everyone’s mother, and anyone who came around, she gave them food and was always welcoming.”
