Isaac Ezra James 'Mass Tiny' (left) and wife Tamar pose with Rev William Lindsay after a special thanksgiving service at St Peter's Anglican Mission to celebrate his 100th birthday earlier this year. - contributed

Just two months ago, Isaac Ezra James (affectionately called 'Maas Tiny') marked a special milestone in his life as he celebrated 100 years of good living at a grand birthday party held at his daughter's residence in Kellits, Clarendon.

'Maas Tiny' was recognised on his January 27 milestone achievement by way of a personal birthday card sent from Buckingham Palace by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, as well as a letter of commendation from King's House by Governor General Sir Kenneth Hall.

Before the start of the lovely birthday reception, a special thanksgiving church service to honour and to give God thanks for the life of this most outstanding citizen of the area was held at the nearby St Peter's Anglican Mission in Rhoden Hall. The service was officiated by Rev William C. Lindsay, rector of All Saints Anglican Church (Crofts Hill Cure).

'Maas Tiny' who was born in Rhoden Hall, Clarendon, in 1908, the fourth of five children to John Isaac and Adrianna James, attended the nearby Good Hope Elementary School, and was confirmed at an early age at the St Bartholomew Anglican attached to the school. On leaving school, he became a farmer and even worked in the United States on their farm work programme (early 1930s), as well as being involved in shipping duties on merchant vessels sailing the Caribbean Sea and Panama Canal in those days.

Blessed family

Coming from a family blessed with longevity (older brother Oscar died in 2005 at age 103), the agile and sprightly Maas Tiny, who looks closer to 75 years than 100, still walks about unaided and frequently travels by way of route taxis from his home in the adjoining district of Colonel's Ridge to visit his daughter Lana Wisdom in Kellits on a regular basis. Amazingly, he also reads without the use of glasses, and continues to serve as a lay reader at St Bartholomew's most Sundays. Last year he was recognised by the Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands with an award from the lord bishop for more than 60 years of sterling work in lay ministry, and being a Sunday school teacher.