Delpesche is North Leeward’s oldest man at 100

At the age of 100 years, Daymon Delpesche has only one wish — that his feet were still strong enough to allow him to work his farm.

He turned 100 last Tuesday and celebrated on Saturday with family, friends and well-wishers, some of whom had come from abroad.{{more}}

“I had a wonderful time and got to play the drum,” said the newly minted centenarian, who until recently played throughout the island with the Rose Bank Classic Drummers.

Longevity runs in his family: his mother Margaret lived to 105; an older sister Beatrice died at 103; Amanda, who was born on Christmas Day 1908, died in 2010, while another sister, Odessa, died one month shy of her 100th birthday in December 2013. Rita, who followed Daymon, is 98 and lives in Chateaubelair.

Throughout his life, Daymon was a farmer and fisherman and worked lands at Morne Ronde and fished in the waters off the North Leeward coast.

As a young man Daymon played cricket and according to him, there is nowhere in St Vincent and the Grenadines that he has not gone to play the game.

“Young people need to go out and look for work; they have to try everything, as work wouldn’t come meet you; they have to go back to the land and plant food,” Daymon advised.

North Leeward’s most senior male resident told SEARCHLIGHT that he is impressed with the progress that has taken place in his village.

“Rose Bank has big houses. I remember when it was only thatch houses and no vehicles and only row boats.”

Daymon was born in a village called ‘Catty,’ nestled between Petit Bordel and Dark View. He said he is amazed by all the new technology, but he is content with his radio. He, however, mentioned that his daughter Margaret, who is his caretaker, has a mobile phone.

A staunch Unity Labour Party (ULP) supporter, Delpesche said that he will be voting if he is around for the upcoming elections.

Daymon, who has fathered 15 children, has outlived three of them and has no known aliments, except arthritic knees. He said he is content to spend his days at his hilltop home overlooking the picturesque Leeward coast. (AC)