Born on June 17th 1915, Irving Joseph has experienced countless events: from World Wars I and II to the rise of artificial intelligence and social media. He has lived through the Black Power movement, breakthroughs in medicine, the lowering of the Union Jack and the rise of the red, white and black.
At 110, Mr. Joseph is now considered a supercentenarian and the oldest living person in Trinidad and Tobago. He joins a super-elite club as, statistically, he is one of a thousand centenarians to achieve this title.
To celebrate, family and friends gathered at his St. Joseph Street, Arima, home to honour the gentle giant – a hard-working, stern but loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather.
One of Mr. Joseph’s six children, Janelle Joseph, recalled taking bus rides with her father and siblings to communities throughout the country, his many, many stories about growing up, and even some about his encounter with a La Diablesse.
She said the one thing she is certain about is that her father loved his family, going all out to ensure that they took advantage of the opportunities offered to them.
“I think it’s a miracle. I think it’s awesome. And, you know, I really thank God for him being here. He’s still a blessing to us, you know. We would still talk to him despite he not hearing too good, you know. We’ll talk a little louder, you know, in case we need any advice or anything like that. We are still able to go to him, to talk to him. If anything, he’s very supportive.”
Member of Parliament for Arima, Pennelope Beckles, has been visiting Mr. Joseph every year. With cake and a special drink in hand, MP Beckles reflected on one of Mr. Joseph’s stories that impacted her the most: his two-to three-hour walk from Arima to Paria every day as an employee of the Ministry of Works.
“We wish him happy birthday, sang happy birthday for him, and I am just overjoyed to be here to celebrate it with him. It gives me a lot of inspiration, and I thank God for him having lived that long and for his family to have looked after him and all the great stories that he tells as somebody who has been born right here on De Gannes Street in Arima, now living in St. Joseph Street. And as he said, when we asked him, what is his wish? Just to be, you know, better tomorrow than he was today. So Mr. Joseph, happy birthday to you.”
Mr Joseph’s life partner for 50 years, Joanne, described her husband as soft-spoken, kind-hearted, and gentle.
“If he could give me the world, he would have given it to me. My Mother’s Day, my birthday. If he has to go wherever, I have to get, and he loves to give jewellery.”
As his primary caregiver, she said taking care of her husband is easy. Mr. Joseph does not have diabetes or hypertension. For the past few years, walking has become difficult, and he has been visually impaired for a few years. This, his wife said, saddens him and, as a devoted Catholic, he includes his sight restoration as part of his nightly prayer requests.
Mrs. Joseph said she could not have asked for a better husband, advising young men to learn to treat their women well.
“We never really fall out, and we never separated. We never had no quarrel, little small things that we work it out. You know, if we have something, I go to work, I come back. Time evening, we forget about that, we go on like normal. But no, not no quarrel, no separation. We live a very good life, very, very good.”
Mr. Joseph is proud of his legacy as the head of his home, his dedication to service when he was employed with the Ministry of Works, and the many other roles that he has taken on over the years. Certainly, his family, friends and the entire nation wish him the best.