ST. JOHN'S--Marthe Connor-Duzanson, St. Maarten's oldest resident who clocked 102 years on February 25, passed away peacefully at St. Martin's Home over the weekend.
Conner-Duzanson, who was referred to as a "living legend," passed away some time between Saturday night and Sunday morning. She leaves to mourn her five children (one of her children has passed away), 18 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. She was an alert and focussed person who valued moments spent with friends and family.
Conner-Duzanson was not only St. Maarten's oldest, but also the only person in the Seventh Day Adventist Caribbean Union to have reached the age of 102, Pastor Royston Philbert of St. Maarten Seventh Day Adventist Church said during her 102nd birthday celebration at St. Martin's Home.
Connor-Duzanson had told The Daily Herald on her birthday that she was happy to have reached another milestone. She never smoked, consumed alcohol and she did not eat unhealthy.
Connor-Duzanson had always said she wanted to live to be 100 years old and after she had passed that age she never spoke about how old she wanted to be any more.
The Government Information Service (GIS) did a special interview with Connor-Duzanson that was aired earlier this year.
