Miramar based Jamaican centenarian honoured by Florida city after Observer story
over 3 years in Jamaica Observer
St Elizabeth native Keturah "Grammie" Wright was the toast of the South Florida city of Miramar, United States, on January 26, 2022, following a January 3 Jamaica Observer story which highlighted the celebration of her 100th birthday.Thirty-seven days after the Jamaican marked her centenary year, Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam proclaimed the day "Keturah 'Grammie' Wright Day", as she watched the ceremony virtually from her home last Wednesday.Mayor Messam, who is also Jamaican-born, presented the official proclamation marking the occasion to her history-making granddaughter Alison Smith at his office, and told the Observer that persons like Grammie Wright deserve respect."It is important to honour and recognise Jamaicans in the Diaspora who have paved the way for us all. Their courage, resiliency and tenacity serves as an example that we can accomplish anything here in the US while preserving our Jamaican roots and culture," he said.Messam and Smith - former deputy city attorney for Miramar - are colleagues whose professional ties go back 10 years. He said her legal contribution to the city "also represents the legacy of Grammie Keturah.The trail-blazing Smith, who has called South Florida home for over 25 years, will become the first black president of the 99-year-old Broward County Bar Association when she is installed this June, following elections early last year.The proclamation to Grammie read, in part: "I, Wayne M Messam, mayor of the city of Miramar, and on behalf of the City Commission, do hereby proclaim January 26, 2022 as 'Keturah 'Grammie' Wright Day' in Miramar, Florida and encourage all residents to extend best wishes to Grammie for continuing to be an inspiration to the community."Smith described her grandmother as "incredibly special to her family", adding: "The family is beyond grateful to Mayor Messam for recognising Grammie. She is so generous and has quietly done so much for people throughout her life without expecting any compensation or recognition in return. God has showered his blessings on her because of her kind spirit and good heart."Grammie was born Keturah Lelmar on December 21, 1921 and was raised in the Pedro Plains region of St Elizabeth. She is the widow of Charles DeCordova Wright, a pastor who was the first Member of Parliament for St Elizabeth South Western, for the Jamaica Labour Party from 1959 to 1972.Pastor Wright died in 1977 while his wife was on staff at the Black River branch of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS). Their two children are Jasmin, who died in an auto crash at age six, and Fay.Grammie's granddaughters have made their own impact on Miramar. Besides Alison, Meisha Smith-Coulter joined Spirit Airlines after serving as a lawyer for the United States Army, and Jessica Smith is a physician.