Bernice Rosalind Eugenia Sebastian

Bernice was an Assistant Teacher at the Basseterre (the capital of Saint Kitts) Boys’ School for 9 years (1932 to 1941) In 1941 she became the Headmistress at the Dieppe Bay Infant (Primary) School That school only had 3 classes when she started, and she built it up to a much higher level. She remained there for 25 years, until she was transferred to Irish Town School where she remained until her retirement in September 1969.

Shortly after her retirement, Bernice’s mother died and Bernice was grieving so much she left Saint Kitts to live in Nova Scotia, Canada with her sister, Dorette and family. Bernice spent the next 27 years in Canada. She then moved to Queens, New York to reside with her sister, Elise. In 2005, she moved to Barryville, NY, then, in 2011, Bernice moved to Philadelphia where she currently resides.

At age 100 Bernice had a pacemaker implanted and, even though she is fully vaccinated, in December 2021, she got COVID, but luckily was asymptomatic. She is now bedridden following a fall five years ago. She can still get into her wheelchair so she can enjoy looking out the window. She is now unable to travel but in the late 90s, she attended a dinner in Toronto that some of her former students threw in her honor.

Bernice’s passion has always been teaching. Encouraging young people to learn is her forte. She comes alive when she talks about teaching, both children and adults.

Bernice is an excellent seamstress. She learned to sew from her mother, helping her create wedding dresses and other clothing Bernice was always sewing things, mostly for her home and as gifts for family and friends. However, it didn’t stop there. She also did needlecrafts like cross-stitch, quilting, embroidery, crochet, and hardanger, which is a type of embroidery of Norwegian origin, worked over counted threads in a geometrical design.

As a member of the Women’s Guild in Nova Scotia, Bernice did a lot of fundraising for her church by teaching needlecrafts and selling pieces she made Lots of people attended the classes she held On special occasions her church in Nova Scotia still uses an altar piece that she embroidered. Unfortunately, her vision is now so poor she is no longer able to create needlework, which saddens her.

But wait, it doesn’t stop there. Bernice also learned to make stained-glass pieces and tole painting, which is the folk art of decorative painting on tin and wooden utensils, objects and furniture. When Bernice was not sewing, embroidering, or doing other crafts, she was also an excellent cook. Her specialties were fruit cake, bread, sugar cake, and meat pies.

Bernice has seen a lot in her 109 years. Recently, if you got her talking about the past she reminisces about the Great Depression, comparing the supply chain issues from 100 years ago to the more recent issues due to COVID. She talks about the innovations she has seen in her lifetime from the early cars to computers.

Bernice’s family is a big part of the history in Saint Kitts. Her family was very involved politically but before that her father was a teacher. He was born in Antigua, but attended the University of West Indies in Jamaica, graduating first in his class. Joseph Matthew Sebastian (1891-1944) came to Saint Kitts to be the Headmaster of the St. George’s Anglican Elementary School in Basseterre, Saint Kitts. Shortly after he arrived in Saint Kitts, he met Inez Veronica Hodge. Inez and Joseph were married in January 2013 She was 16 years old when they got married and Joseph was 21

Bernice’s father had a long career as an educator before he left that profession to pursue the cause of the workers in Saint Kitts. He resigned his position as a teacher to become President of the Universal Benevolent Association and it was under his

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leadership that the organization grew. In the late 1920s the Great Depression brought with it labor unrest. In the early 1930s the workers at the sugar factory in Saint Kitts went on strike. In 1932 Joseph Sebastian became a founding member and was on the Executive Council of the newly formed Workers’ League.

In 1995, Bernice’s brother, Cuthbert Sebastian, was appointed Governor-General of Saint Kitts and Nevis. He was sworn into office on January 1, 1996, and later that year he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

To commemorate Bernice’s 109th birthday, The St. Kitts Nevis Tri-State Association, Marie and others are coordinating a celebration with family, friends, and local dignitaries, for Noon, Sunday September 18th at her home on Penn Street, between, Knox

Street and Wayne Avenue, Germantown Area, Philadelphia.

Below is picture captured at the celebrations for Miss Sebastian ‘ s 110 birthday. She’s flanked by members of the St. Kitts Nevis Tri-State Association.