One hundred and one years of steady, purpose-driven living came together for Joseph Gordon Marquis of Canaries on Wednesday, as the beloved centenarian celebrated his 101st birthday surrounded by loved ones, his life defined by unwavering faith, dedication to hard work, close family bonds, and a deliberately uncomplicated approach to daily life.
Born and raised on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia, Marquis left his home country at a young age to build a new life in England. It was there that he nurtured a long-held passion for woodworking and carpentry, a skill that ultimately landed him a decades-long position as a carpenter at London’s iconic Middlesex Hospital, where he honed his craft and supported his growing family.
Marquis’s large, loving family stands as one of his greatest life achievements: he is a father to seven children, a grandfather to 19 grandchildren, and a great-grandfather to two young great-grandchildren, with a sprawling network of relatives who have carried forward his values of grit and gratitude.
Beyond his career and family, Marquis’s longevity reflects intentional choices around personal health that he has maintained for decades. He has never taken up smoking, and while he drank alcohol occasionally earlier in his life, a negative experience led him to give up drinking entirely, a choice he has stuck with ever since.
Faith has remained the cornerstone of Marquis’s life throughout every stage of his journey. Family members confirm that his deep-seated love of God and lifelong devotion to serving his faith have been a guiding force through both challenges and joys over the past century.
Even at 101 years old, Marquis remains in remarkably good health, his family told local outlet *St Lucia Times*. “He is in good health. A few aches and pains but that is expected,” the family shared in an interview.
Far from slowing down entirely, Marquis still keeps his mind and spirit active with quiet, meaningful daily hobbies. He regularly works through crossword puzzles to keep his mind sharp, devotes time to watching faith-focused biblical programming, and sets aside time each day to read scripture.
When asked what he credits for his 101 years of full life, the centenarian offered a humble answer rooted firmly in his lifelong beliefs: “There is no secret in what God can do.”