Last Sunday, April 8, Eulan Richards, was one of three people to celebrate ninetieth birthdays on the week-end. Dom John Osborne, the doyen of the Catholic Clergy turned ninety on Friday April 6, and Inez Poujade on Monday April 9.
Grandmummy, as Eulan is fondly called, still erect in stature, with perfect memory, and fluent speech, started her special day with a Holy Mass of Thanksgiving at the St Ann's Roman Catholic Church, celebrated by Father Angelo Accattino, the Italian secretary at the Papal Nuncio on Mary Street, followed by a luncheon at the Horticultural Society's headquarters on Lady Chancellor Hill. The beautifully decorated hall reflected the blues of Eulan's beautiful dress and well-coiffured grey-blue hair. Grandmummy stuck her cake and danced the first waltz with Dexter Baptiste, the husband of her only granddaughter, Petra Ann Hezekiah-Baptiste, whom she had helped to raise. The couple came all the way from Griffin, Atlanta, for the occasion.
Eulan, a very simple and down-to-earth lady, was one of four children born to Sing Loy, a migrant from Hong Kong, and his wife Marie Louise, at Arouca. Her eldest sister, Romania, who was at the function is ninety-three. "Like all chinee people" she said "my father ran a grocery at Piarco and sold everything like liquor, foodstuffs and materials. In those days there was no airport at Piarco".
Sin Loy returned to Hong Kong where he eventually died, taking his only son with him, while Eulan was still a baby "My mother did not last very long after and we were left with my mother's brother in Arouca, so I really didn't know my mother and father. But very soon it was just two of us as my middle sister was bitten by a scorpion and died."
Eulan attended Las Lomas Roman Catholic School, then came to town and worked at Pereira's Confectionery Factory. From there she married guitarist Lionel Richards, a well-known barber and member of Sel Duncan's big band sound of that time.
From the day she was married, Eulan never worked for anyone again. "I took care of my four children, Gem, Glenda, Pamela and Jennifer, and that is why I have good children." Nowadays, says this very wise woman "people do not have time to take care of their children." The Richards lived in Belmont for 34 years and have been in Cascade for the past 26 years.
Although Eulan did not go out to work, she ran a little shop of her own on Frederick Street selling children's clothes made with her very own hands. "I specialised in christening dresses with frills and ribbons, matching booties and bonnets." After which she made costumes for two Carnival bands, Edmond Hart and Mavericks, "to make my little money."
She attributes her longevity to "contentment", and the quiet smile that is never far from this ninety-year lady's serene countenance is confirmation to a deep satisfaction with her lot in life. "I never bother too much about anything, my interest were my children, one of whom left for the United States in 1958. My favourite things are sewing, cooking which I still do, and entertaining my friends a little." From Glenda, I learned that Grandmummy, not only still attends horseracing meetings. but can sometimes be quite cagey about her bets.
Eulan's health, at ninety, is quite good. With a quiet chuckle she related "the doctor said my heart was slowing down. But I live a very quiet life seeing about my children, doing housework, and above all accept life as it comes. I am not fussy, never wanting what I cannot afford. I live a very simple life with no drinking and no feteing, even as a young person."
I think that the bookmark with which we will all remember Eulan's milestone sums up our feelings and not only those of the friend who chose the verse: "The Wisdom to learn, the Humour to laugh at oneself, and a Compassion for others are the true paths to enlightenment and longevity. This day we celebrate 90 years of your enlightened journey."