On a warm, joyful Sunday surrounded by her closest loved ones, Esther Lilian Wickham officially marked a remarkable life milestone, entering the small, esteemed community of Barbadian centenarians while celebrating her 100th birthday with overwhelming gratitude and bright cheer. Sitting among decorations and well-wishers at her longtime home on Cadogan Road in Grazettes, St Michael, the newly-minted centenarian shared her surprising perspective on reaching 100, saying with a warm smile, “I feel good. I don’t feel 100.”
When asked what she credits for her long, healthy life, Wickham pointed first to her strong family genetics. Both of her grandparents nearly hit the 100-year mark, and her own father lived to 99, a family history that laid the foundation for her own century of life. Beyond her genetic good fortune, Wickham leaves behind a rich professional and personal legacy that has shaped everyone around her.
Before retiring, Wickham served as deputy principal of Erdiston Teachers’ Training College, and her commitment to learning never faded even after her career ended. She earned two separate bachelor’s degrees: one in education and a second in art, a testament to her lifelong curiosity and dedication to academic growth. This love of learning also extended to her family, according to her husband, retired professor Edcil Wickham. He recalled how Wickham consistently supported his own academic work throughout their marriage, even teaching him core problem-solving skills that helped him advance his career. “I got several awards, and I gave them to her because she was the one who did the work,” he shared, adding that his wife has remained a constant blessing in his life, always supportive and helpful through every challenge.
Wickham raised three children, daughters Margaret Austin-Knight and Cheryl Austin, and son Jeffrey Austin, who described their mother as a perfect balance of gentle warmth and steady firmness. Margaret remembered that her mother rarely needed to raise her voice to keep her children in line: “She would just give us the look and we knew, cut it out.” Cheryl added that their mother lived by straightforward, memorable proverbs that shaped how the whole family approaches life: “drunk or sober, mind your business” and “if you make your bed, you have to lie in it.” Like her commitment to her own academic work, Wickham was uncompromising when it came to her children’s education, holding them to high standards that left a lasting impact. “We were afraid to bring home a grade less than an ‘A,’” Cheryl recalled.
Barbados President Jeffrey Bostic offered his formal congratulations to Wickham on hitting the extraordinary milestone, honoring her as “one of Barbados’ treasures” for her contributions to education and her decades of impact on the island nation.