| Zephrine Antonia Thomas | |
 Zephrine Antonia Thomas at the age of 110. | |
| Birth: | 26 August 1906 Dominica |
| Death: | 30 August 2017 Fredericksted, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands |
| Age: | 111 years, 4 days |
| Country: |  DMA VIR, USA
|
| Validated | |
Zephrine Antonia Thomas (26 August 1906 – 30 August 2017) was a Dominican-born supercentenarian from the US Virgin Islands whose age was validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) in 2020. She was the oldest known person in the US Virgin Islands at the time of her death.
Biography
Zephrine Antonia Thomas was born in Dominica on 26 August 1906. She was the youngest of nine children born to Zomie and Helen Thomas. She herself had nine children whilst living in Dominica, despite never marrying. She had her first child aged 24 and her last aged 42.
Thomas worked hard to support her children as her partner died after the birth of their last child. She never attended school herself, but was adamant that her children received an education. She carried huge trays of limes on her head up a hill for $5 a week to help pay for her children's schooling.
Thomas's son, Lloyd Daley, moved to St. Croix, US Virgin Islands in 1965, and Thomas also moved there soon after She took care of her grandchildren in both Dominica and St. Croix. As she grew older, her two surviving sons, Lloyd and Lennox Daley, moved in with her to look after her. Her house withstood Hurricane Hugo in 1989.
In 2010, Thomas fell and broke her hip, but made a full recovery. In March 2016, she fell again, but recovered. On her 110th birthday in August 2016, her sons said she was afraid of falling for a third time, so she had not been as active as she was before the most recent fall. She was affectionately known as “Mama” in her later years.
Thomas died in Fredericksted, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, on 30 August 2017, at the age of 111 years, 4 days. She was survived by two sons, several grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren, 12 great-great-grandchildren, and many great and great-great-grandnieces and nephews.
References
- 'Mama' Thomas makes 110 The Virgin Islands Daily News
- 'Mama' Thomas celebrates her 111th birthday today The Virgin Islands Daily News
- Zepherine Antonia THOMAS DBS Radio