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February 17, 2026
February 17, 2026
February 17, 2026
February 17, 2026
Beatrice Elizabeth Burnette Johnson, affectionately known as “Cousin Vye”, celebrated her 100th birthday on Monday, surrounded by family, friends and the community she has long called home.
Born in 1926, Cousin Vye has lived through a century of change, from the quiet simplicity of village life to the modern developments of West Coast Berbice. Yet throughout it all, her life has remained anchored in faith, family and service.
A devoted member of St Jude’s Anglican Church, Cousin Vye raised seven children and nurtured a family that now spans eighteen grandchildren, forty-four great-grandchildren and twelve great-great-grandchildren.
She worked in domestic service and later became a skilled beautician and seamstress, building a life of hard work and dedication that provided for generations.
Her journey took her far beyond Lichfield — from Mackenzie, Linden to overseas — but home always drew her back and she has witnessed the unfolding changes.
“It’s my birthday — I’m 100. I know it’s 100. Today is not like long ago. We have so many different things today. First of all, we’ve got new schools; the church — they developed the church — and the playgrounds.”
Cousin Vye recalled working for the bauxite company for many years while residing in Mackenzie before departing overseas.
“I got married and went to Mackenzie. I came home for about six months, and they called me back. We didn’t spend very long when we went back. And then I came home,” she recalled.
Her childhood memories remain vivid.
“My grandfather was a butcher,” she recalled. “We used to get a lot of the meat. I used to keep birthday parties — every year I would keep my birthday,” she stated.
Cousin Vye now spends her days on the verandah, weather permitting, watching the world go by and reflecting on a century of memories, often with her favourite meal of rice and fish nearby.
At 100, she has lived through decades of change, yet she still finds joy in the same small comforts that have always made her life full.
