Great-great-grandmother celebrates 100th birthday with family and friends
A Stafford woman celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by an enormous crowd of family, friends, children and great-great-grandchildren.
Jamaican-born Lena Wisdom was surrounded by an entourage of loved ones on on January 2 as she welcomed her 100th birthday, celebrating her long life with her letter from King Charles III and lots of cake.
On the morning of January 2, Lena's family, including her five children, 13 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild, visited the birthday girl to celebrate her special day.
Ms Wisdom talked about her birthday and the secret to her long life - she said: "Oh yes, I'm the big 100 now - I feel fine, you know. I do ache a little, but I feel fine. I pray every day for long life and love for my family."
Lena was born in Orangefield, St Catherine, Jamaica, on January 2, 1923 – Lena remembers her youth surrounded by the love of her family and her love of Jamaica, which she visits as often as she can.
At the age of 34, Lena married her late husband, Rupert Wisdom, after meeting him at a funeral, tying the knot in 1957 after a "wonderful" period of courtship.
Rupert moved to England as one of the Windrush workers, with Lena following the love of her life, shortly after finding work as a health care assistant in Stafford.
Lena said: "I lived in Jamaica for such a long time, I loved it there. I visited as often as I could, but it has been quite a while since I have been back now.
"It was because of my husband that I moved to Stafford, I couldn't stand being away from him.
"We have been blessed with a large family, and they are all such lovely people, they love their mothers, and their whole family. I trust in god to keep me going now."
Over the course of the 60s Ms Wisdom worked tirelessly behind the scenes with Pastor George and friend Rita Mason, to plant a foothold for the New Testament Church of God, on Wednesfield Road, which still thrives today.
Lena helped to make the visiting pastors feel accommodated, opening her home and taking the visitors in as family. The devout Christian later became first lady when her husband Rupert himself became a pastor at the church, one of the proudest moments of her life.
