Isnet May Oldfield, a resident of Brampton, Ontario, Canada, passed away on 30 September, at the age of 110 years, 180 days.
Isnet Oldfield was born on 3 April 1916 in the town of Chapleton, within the Post Road district of the Parish of Clarendon, Jamaica, to parents Albert Dwyer (1893–1990) and Madeline McDonald (1889–1981). She had ten siblings—four sisters and six brothers. She attended Woodhall School in Post Road, Chapleton, until the age of 14. At that time, educational opportunities for girls were limited, and she was forced to leave school due to restrictions placed on female students. Determined that Isnet continue learning, her grandmother took her to Cuba, where she attended school for an unknown period. While there, Isnet was also cared for by an uncle, who was a farmer. This early exposure to life beyond Jamaica broadened her experiences and strengthened her independence.
As an adult, Isnet returned to Jamaica. Like many young women of her time, she learned sewing after leaving school, a skill essential for self-support. Early in life, she became a mother to her first son and daughter, which required her to seek work to provide for her family. During this period, her extended family played a vital role in caring for her children while she worked.
She later married Sydney Oldfield, whom she met while working at a fruit house in May Pen, and together they raised ten children. She also worked as a nurse, caring for war veterans and people with disabilities, while helping raise seven of her grandchildren. Following her husband’s death in 1970, Isnet continued supporting her family. In December 1974, she immigrated to Toronto, Canada, accompanied by seven grandchildren, where she resumed working as a live-in nurse caring for the elderly.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of Isnet May Oldfield during this difficult time.
