Source: Erasmus Williams FB
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS – Sad news has been received of the passing of Kittitian centenarian Ms Bernice Rosalind Eugenie Sebastian, Philadelphia’s oldest living resident, who transitioned on January 3, 2026, at the age of 112.
“Ms Sebastian’s life was a living testament to resilience, grace, and the enduring spirit of our Caribbean heritage. Her presence connected generations, her story reflected history, and her legacy will continue to inspire all who were privileged to know of her remarkable journey,” stated the St. Kitts-Nevis Community and Friends of St. Kitts and Nevis of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware in an online post on Sunday.
“We extend our deepest condolences to her family, loved ones, and the wider community during this time of reflection and remembrance. May Bernice Sebastian rest in eternal peace, and may her memory forever be a blessing,” the group said in its expression of deep respect and remembrance, together with Marie-Monique Marthol.
Bernice Rosalind Eugenie Sebastian was born on September 21, 1913, in Basseterre, Saint Kitts, to Joseph Matthew Sebastian and Inez Veronica Hodge, the first of the couple’s twelve children.
Her father was renowned for his work as a union organiser for the St. Kitts-Nevis Trades & Labour Union (SKNT&LU) during the colonial period. He helped form the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP), advocating for fair wages, safer working conditions on sugar plantations and in factories, and equitable access to education for Black people.
“He was also a contemporary of Marcus Garvey, and Auntie Bern told me she remembers meeting Garvey as a child when he visited the family home,” Marthol recalled.
Sebastian followed closely in her father’s footsteps in education and service. Her teaching journey began around age 12, when she served as a student teacher, instructing her peers in mathematics for more than three years. “Schools in Saint Kitts would identify promising students and appoint them as student teachers,” noted Marthol, herself a native of Saint Kitts.
At age 15, Sebastian received a scholarship to attend the Teachers’ Training College in Antigua, where she studied for two years. Many of her siblings also became student teachers and later educators.
After graduating, she returned to Saint Kitts to begin her teaching career. From 1932 to 1941, she served as an assistant teacher at the Basseterre Boys’ School. In 1941, she was appointed headmistress of the Dieppe Bay Infant (Primary) School. At that time, only three classes existed at the school, and she worked diligently to expand it into an institution offering additional courses and opportunities, especially benefiting students from Dieppe Bay, a historically underserved community.
She later served at the Irish Town School, remaining in the teaching profession until her retirement in 1969. In recognition of her outstanding contribution to national development, Ms Sebastian received the Saint Kitts and Nevis Medal of Honour in the late 1990s.
She was also honoured on April 12 during the One Caribbean Chamber Women’s History Month Forum Series for her exceptional service as an educator in Saint Kitts and Nevis. One Caribbean Chamber supports Caribbean entrepreneurs and professionals in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey.
Following her retirement, she relocated to Nova Scotia, Canada, to live with her sister Dorette, where she continued community service and teaching, including fundraising classes for her local church. She later lived in Queens, New York, before moving to Barryville in 2005 and eventually settling in Philadelphia six years later.
Well into her centenarian years, Ms Sebastian remained active, articulate, and mobile. She was not bedridden until after a fall that resulted in a rib fracture.
Ms Bernice Rosalind Eugenie Sebastian leaves behind a distinguished legacy of service, education, cultural pride, and family devotion. Her life story remains an enduring source of inspiration to the people of Saint Kitts and Nevis and the wider Caribbean diaspora.