by Katie Vasquez
Judith Mends is still smiling as she remembers her recent 110th birthday celebration at St. Thomas Aquinas Church.
The oldest parishioner at the Flatlands parish was surrounded by family, friends and fellow parishioners, receiving a birthday cake and a special blessing from three priests.
Asked how it feels to be 110, Mends said she wishes she were able to do more.
“Well, if I was able to move around a little bit more, I think I’d be more active,” she said.
Reaching 110 is something her nephew, Dr. Joseph Radix, never imagined he would witness.
“Wow. Unbelievable. I guess that’s the only word I can use to describe that,” Radix said. “When she got to 100, we thought that was amazing. But 110, we never thought that was possible.”
Born in Grenada, Mends spent years traveling between the Caribbean and New York to visit family. Of the many memories she has collected over more than a century, one still stands out.
“When the plane came to Carriacou, Grenada. I said, ‘How could that be?'” she recalled.
Today, Mends rarely leaves her Flatlands home, something that has been especially difficult for someone whose life has long centered on the church.
“She was telling me she hasn’t been to church in a long time. She’s so upset,” said, Justice Sylvia Hinds-Radix.
“True. True,” Mends replied.
Whether she was in Brooklyn or Grenada, church remained at the center of her life.
“In the Caribbean, the Monday after Easter is actually a holiday,” Radix said. “That’s the big day of the harvest, when people come to the church grounds to sell food.”
He said Mends always played an important role in those celebrations.
“She was always instrumental in the harvest,” he said. “And even when she could no longer contribute, she went to call and tell people what they needed to do to make it successful.”
Her faith was matched by her generosity. Mends collected books for students and helped provide food for people in need.
Radix said those acts of service have always inspired him.
“These are the things that really stand out to me,” he said. “It’s always been about her with the church and, you know, the charity that she has done for other people.”
While her steps may be slower today, her faith has never wavered.
“The Lord is my light and my salvation,” Mends said.
As she celebrates 110 years of life, she said she is grateful for every blessing along the way.