Saba congratulates newest centenarian Edit Hassell

Edith Hassell-Lejunes celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends, writes The Daily Herald.

Island Governor Jonathan Johnson, members of Saba Health Foundation and Saba Lions Club joined in wishing the new centenarian a happy birthday.

Hassell-Lejunes was born on St. Maarten, where she taught kindergarten before moving to Aruba where she worked at Standard Oil and met her husband. She left Standard Oil shortly after getting married and raised eight children. Five boys: Stanley, Anthony, Kenny, Richard and Johnny, and three girls: Dorothy, Winifred and Jessica.

When the school bus service in her neighbourhood in Aruba was discontinued, Hassell took it upon herself to get her driver’s licence and became the unofficial bus driver, ferrying the neighbourhood children back and forth to school.

She retired to Saba in the 1960’s and has enjoyed an active and happy life. She loves to bake and cook and until she was slowed by a stroke at age 92 she regularly walked to Booby Hill from her home situated behind Breadline Plaza in Windwardside to visit with friends.

Daughter Dorothy said her mother recently announced she intends to live to 110, and attributes her longevity to an active life shared with family and friends, as well as a steady diet of fresh fruit and her own juice blend of soursop, mango, papaya and guava.