Beache turns 102 years
News
February 23, 2007

Beache turns 102 years

At 102 years, the vision and hearing of Frederick Edward “Daddy Pa” Beache are not as sharp as they used to be, but his mind is alert as ever.

Proudly wearing his Boy Scouts pin at his Campden Park home, Frederick eagerly recounted childhood memories as a Boy Scout who walked around the island. He still considers himself part of the world wide organisation, which he credits for instilling discipline in him.{{more}}

A man who used his hands as a mason and carpenter to earn a living, Beache was also considered a brilliant craftsman who wove baskets and sold them throughout the country, but mainly to hotels.

The agile centenarian said walking to different villages ensured that he got a lot of exercise and believes that this may be one of the reasons why he is still fit today. He said that his favourite food is roasted sweet potato, grindy, tania and black fish and believes that eating healthily may have also contributed to his longevity.

His humour is undeniable and with only one tooth left in his bottom jaw, Beache jokingly remarked, “I love eating sasporilla and sugar apple, but I can’t eat tough food like black fish, tough red Tania, because I am waiting on me other teeth to grow out. So far, I only have one teeth, I can’t wait for the others to grow so I can eat the other food I love.”

Originally from Greggs and the third of six children, Beache said that although he misses them, he is always surrounded with love and attention from his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

His daughters Evit Beache John and Verna Shallow said that they feel blessed to have him around and believe that he is the perfect example of a father. At home the 102-year old does not wait for someone to cater to him, when he gets up he always makes bed and helps around in the kitchen, seasoning meat and preparing vegetables for the pot.

Beache, who celebrated his birthday on February 9, was visited by many, notably Minister of Culture the Hon. Rene Baptiste and Dean of St. Georges Cathedral Patrick Mc Intosh. Father Mc Intosh, who said a prayer for the centenarian admitted that he was impressed with his vitality, noting that Beache would not just sit in the congregation, but would participate in worshiping God.

A man of faith, Beache doesn’t start his day without praying to God and believes that when it is his time to meet his maker, he would go. A man who believes that he has lived a full life, Beache said that if he had one wish, it wouldn’t be for riches or long life (the latter which he already has) but that it would be for his family to continue to live in love and to always make time for each other.