Roderick Bascombe, fondly called “Daddy Bas” by his friends, is St.Vincent and the Grenadines’ newest centenarian.
He joined a unique club of centenarians the world over when he celebrated his birthday on Sunday.
On the eve on his birthday, the Stubbs Seventh Day Adventist Church held a celebration service spearheaded by Brian Davis and his team at Stubbs to mark Bascombe’s milestone achievement.
Bacsombe sang a hymn and gave God thanks for sparing his life. He was showered with gifts and a trophy.
He also received a visit at his home from Her Excellency, the Governor General’s Deputy, Susan Dougan on Sunday.
Bascombe is the son of Herbert “Herbie” Bascombe and Amy Payne of Stubbs. He had three brothers, Piercy and two other male siblings both named Kenneth. He also had a sister called Ethel Dowers. They are all deceased.
Bascombe plied his trade as a mason before leaving for Trinidad in the 1930s to make a better life for himself. He later left for the Dutch isle of Aruba.
While in Aruba, he met Catherine Bascombe and they got married in December 1959. They returned to SVG in January 1960.
Daddy Bas was a Methodist, but later became a Seventh Day Adventist. As a Seventh Day Adventist, he was one of the driving forces that helped to spread the Seventh Day Adventist message in the community of Stubbs and later played a significant role in building the Stubbs Seventh Day Adventist Church. He used his own resources to purchase the land for the church and his skills to construct the building.
Over the years, he led the church as the first elder, and served in the field as a literature evangelist spreading God’s word throughout SVG and the Caribbean.
Bascombe was also a farmer and produced peanuts as well as potatoes over the years. At age 98 he retired from farming.
On Oct. 10, 2000, he lost his wife of 39 years. He remarried in June 2003 to Stavy Bascombe.
Besides living a dedicated life as a Christian, Bascombe is widely known for his assistance to many people in the community, giving many a start in life by selling his lands to them below market price.
He is a passionate fan of the West Indies cricket team and can still be seen glued to his television when the regional team play. He has remained one of their staunchest supporters over the years.
Daddy Bas continues to serve God and intends to do so until the end.