An ancient psalmist once wrote that a person’s life span is seventy years; eighty for those who are strong.
On Monday Alfreda Georges of Roseau defied the psalmist’s prediction to celebrate her 100th birthday.
She joined 31 other living Dominicans who have reached that landmark in their lives.
In conversation with Georges, one would never even think she is a centenarian. She is alert, she remembers things from deep in the past and she cracks a joke or two.
Auntie Freda, as she is affectionately known, was born in La Plaine but her mother died when she was just five years old and she was raised by her father, who was a school teacher and inspector.
The family moved to Pointe Michel roughly around the time her mother died. The village has special significance for Auntie Freda. “That is where I made my first communion and confirmation, you know,” the devout Catholic told Dominica News Online.
The connection to La Plaine was never cut and every holiday the family traveled the Chimen Letang (through Laudat since there were no roads connecting Roseau to the east coast) to the village to spend time with relatives. “My father always used to tell us that we must go back to our roots,” she remarked.
Auntie Freda’s father owned a horse she remembers enjoying the ride through the forest to La Plaine. “Sometime I walked, sometimes I rode on the horse but it always was a wonderful trip,” she said.
Spending time in La Plaine was a treat in itself. “My granny was still alive and she would take us to the mouth of the river in La Plaine and we used to bathe and we used to eat fresh, fresh foods,” she stated. “Everything was fresh…we use to just pick whatever we want to eat and cook it right away.”
“Those were good days,” she said with a smile. “Dominica was different, very different.”
So is there a secret to living so long? Auntie Freda believes living a healthy life, behaving oneself and praying, go a long way.
“I have always behaved myself very well,” she said. “I keep very healthy, exercise , not over doing anything at all and praying.”
Her lifestyle has paid off since she has not suffered any major illnesses throughout the years. “Only recently I had a fractured hip and it was an accident,” she said.
These days Auntie Freda spends her days praying and living her healthy lifestyle. She has an occasional glass of red wine and relishes steamed vegetables.
She showers herself and is basically self-dependent.
“I have lived a good life and if I can, I will live it all over again,” she said.
Auntie, the Father has blessed you with long days on earth, may you also live forever.
Just wondering who are her people in the Laplaine area ,never heard of her
I assume you reside in La Plaine. Her surname is “Georges”. On her father’s side is “Georges”. Some of her older family members must have passed on. She may still have relatives especially younger ones in La Plaine. If you are interested, you could enquire about them.
She is very well known especially by older ones, also younger than she is. She had a few brothers. I believe that one was a Judge in St. Lucia. Another resides in Trinidad. She has family in these parts of the world and no doubt elsewhere.
As she said, her father moved to Pointe Michel after her mother passed on. She lived there and then in Roseau, later in Goodwill. She has been residing in that part of Dominica for many, many years.
When families pass on, there does not seem to be any reason to return to one’s birthplace. She probably had not visited La Plaine in many years. This is why you never heard of her.
WHAT A BLESSING SHE IS.
Happy Birthday cuz Freda, I am sorry I could not attend your birthday celebration since I was out on mission. I know you had a wonderful time. Wishing you God’s continued blessings, more birthdays, continued good health. Wish you could give me 25 years to add to mine. Best wishes cuz.
Belated birthday dear Aunty…she is now officially our Auntie.. the Auntie of all Dominicans..nature isle.
We need to get some statistics on the number of centenarians relative to population in the world or even in the Caribbean to see where Dominica stands.
Many blessings upon you…Congrats….Praise be to Jesus..
Congratulations aunt Freda, she had always been a great aunt to me. Was nice chatting with her yesterday. She is the second in our family to make it to 100. The next being her brother (my grand uncle). I am proud of her. Maybe I can make it one day
Happy Birthday Auntie Freda from Belleville Ontario Canada. You don’t know me but Jacquie Georges in Toronto is my Aunt. My husband’s grandfather lived until he was 104. When asked what he attributed that to he said: “He didn’t smoke, he didn’t drink, he only had one wife and he ate salt pork”. He was also a very religious person. God bless.
Happy Birthday and many happy returns!
Miss Alfreda Georges, A Very Happy Birthday to you. May God grant you some more years to come with continued health, strength and other faculties.
I knew you as Miss Georges. God has been good to you to grant you 100 years with no illness. You must have done something good and this is as you said, good, clean and godly living. It paid off.
I knew you owned St. Agnes Store in Roseau. Working there also kept you occupied. I read that people should not retire. It keeps them physically and mentally healthy. Thinking of you being a centenarian, there must be some truth in it.
Miss Georges, on behalf of my family, all of us who know you (and you know us), we also wish you God’s continued blessings and graces. Keep well!
Happy birthday Aunty Freada you have served the Lord well.The Bible says those who wait on the Lord he shall renew their strength they shall mount upon wings like Eagle. You were an example to me when I lived in Dominica and attended Mass at the Cathedral. God bless you may you live to see many more years.
she is 100. i am 72.she always gave me a ride home at lunch to goodwill when she was in audit and i treasury.i was 17 at the time,then she was transferred to public works.she owned a taxi with jg royer.she was one or two women civil servants who owned and drove a car.in those days, all civil servants went home for lunch. wish i was around to have a drink.that was 1958.
She must have also walked down and up Goodwill, Rose Street, getting exercise. I remember her very well.
In those days Goodwill was the only suburb of Dominica unlike today. Those who resided in Goodwill went home for lunch from school and work in those days. This was good exercise.
Those who did not own a car would walk. The kind ones who owned cars would give and/or offered rides to others who they especially knew.
happy birthday aunty freda.i do not know you but i have just adopted you as my aunt.i pray that god will continue to keep you healthy.
She is a disciplined and strict one too!
It looks like the Georges have the secret to long life, her brother lived to be 103yrs old, lots of blessings to you Auntie Freda.
Congratulations Auntie Freda…..its indeed an honour to be your nephew. Praise be to God! Much love always
I wonder which of the Georges you are. My family and I knew her brother in La Plaine. I will say my parents. If I recall he was a teacher. A nice man too. Do not know if he is still alive. His late son Stanley Georges, her nephew was a good friend of the family. He was like a brother. Stanley resided in Montreal and passed on there a few years ago. What a nice, gentleman he was.
As I stated/commented on this Website, there are some good people in La Plaine whom I know.
I must ask there is one Cynthia Stevenson, a resident of La Plaine who was a teacher. I have not seen her in years. I hope she is doing well. She was another who was like a sister to us – a family member.
We also knew her mother who has since passed on. They all visited us at our home. We knew the Georges family and vice versa.
Fond memories of D/ca and its good people are returning to me. Of course, in reality, I never forget them.
God bless you and your family!
I am the son of Ephraim Georges..I knew Stanley very well…he was my 1st cousin. He lived in Antigua in the latter years and when back to Montreal when he got sick. His father was Osmond Georges, Alfreda’s brother and my Uncle. Where do you live?
Agreed Gregory. It is an honor. We have great genes.
Congrats to you mam. may the good Lord continue to bless you.
Happy 100th dear lady.
Thanks for teaching we the yutes about living a healthy and clean lifestyle and staying out of trouble.
I my memory serves me well this is the second centenarian Georges from Laplaine. (at least second… there may be more)
Yes its the second. She is my aunt and we also celebrated Her brother’s 100th too
uncle Rudolph 
Yes….happy birthday to You and hopefully many more to come.I remember her well…she was a good friend of my Mom who is no longer with us.
Happy 100 granny, true class, wisdom to last, hope you continue to live on. God blessings every time. I was raised by my granny and have lived to give thanks and praises to her and those like her credit for paving the way. Long live our seniors all over D/ca.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY and congratulations on your living through and to this landmark age. Wishing you continued god’s blessings
Very good Auntie God bless you…………..
tell them granny.cuz all the people wanna eat now is old greasy kfc chicken full of oil and get fat and don’t exercise.smoke smoke smoke. drink rum rum rum.and doe sleep
Happy Birthday dear lady. Did you go to school at Grand Bay ? another old lady remembers going to school with you? May God bless you for many more years.
Why do we refer to people as old?
Just asking,
Figure of speech. Some people have not grown accustomed to saying “elderly”. Today they are referred to as “senior citizen.”
She said she lived in Pointe Michel. She also attended the Convent High School. It may be one of those schools.
Just remembered. If her father was a teacher, he could have been transferred elsewhere as to Grand Bay. She would have to confirm that or the lady who spoke to you could.
So enlightened to read such refreshing words of wisdom. We can always look to our seniors for such inspiration. My wish is that this Grand Lady liveS another 100 years
Dominica needs another leader like Eugenia Charles right now more than ever before it is too late.
Happy everything aunty Freda. I can’t help -she resembles Eugenia Charles . Somewhat
So so true
So beautiful. May God bless you.
Auntie! not now na we living that age there too much kfc and soft drink we forget our roots casava and honey people do not even know what is honey these days u ate well and u did not do wickedness or else you would have died long may god continue to bless you
May God continue to pour His upon you. Happy Birthday!
As a kid, I knew her at St Agnes Book store next to ACS. Congratulations and God’s Richest Blessings.
NUFF SAID!!
Auntie! I want to live as long as you but I don`t want to depend on any one. Want to be able to move around freely and do every thing for my self. With the help of God my Father. God blessings on your life auntie.
The problem is that most people know about Psalm 96:10, which are the words of Moses, but they do not know about God’s(Jehovah’s)words at the Book of Genesis, Chapter 6 where God said: “My Spirit will not strive with man forever for he is indeed flesh; but 120 years will he exist”. Genesis 6:3
We know that God send a flood which destroyed every human being and everything that existed in the world at that time, except for those whom He allowed in the Ark with Noah and his wife, their three sons and their wives.
And so since we have accepted the prophecy of Moses
This one got away from me before I was finished.
I was saying that since the majority of us have accepted the prophecy of Moses at psalm 96:10, not that one of God Himself at Genesis 6:3, that is the reason very few people will live that Life Span–but not me, you see!
By the Word of our God, I am heading to 120, as He has planned for me–no one ain’t taking the Life and the days that God has planned for me.
Good for you Aunty Freda, go for the other 20 years; keep in your mind that it is yours from our God Almighty, Eternal Spirit, who has made Himself the Living God in His Person of flesh bones–the Son, who is Jesus Christ.
Blessings to all
cant youjust wish the lady well? you always behave like you are the only one who can quote the Bible. Wonder what Seminary you attended and how many years you went there. Try a little humility you will be exalted in the end.
@DA
First of all you have authority pertaining to how I choose to express my thoughts
Secondly it is you and your stupidity that is trying to put me down it will not work for you.
God has already exalted me by giving me His Holy Spirit since 1998–is that long enough for you?
And so God is doing His work through me, His Word in the Bible is His tool, why don’t you try to read and understand what I write so that you can gain some wisdom for yourself?
When you try to ridicule me, you are trying to ridicule God–He strike you out dead because of your attitude –I suggest that you check yourself.
Happy Birthday aunt Freda and may God continue to bless you
Wow that is great makes me remember my grandmother.
Thank God for her 100 years on earth. St. Agnes Book Store we shall never forget.
I was just wondering where did she worked and thanks for that info she was a respectable lady enjoy your birthday congrats
Sweet,