Zephrine Antonia Thomas

Zephrine Antonia Thomas (26 August 1906 – 30 August 2017) was a Dominican-born supercentenarian from the US Virgin Islands whose age is currently unvalidated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG). She was the oldest known person in the US Virgin Islands when she died.

Biography
Zephrine Antonia Thomas was born on 26 August 1906 in Dominica to parents Zomie and Helen Thomas. She was the youngest of nine children. She herself had nine children whilst living in Dominica, despite never marrying. She had her first child aged 24 and her last aged 42.

Zephrine worked hard to support her children as her partner died after the birth of their last child. She never attended school herself, but was adamant that her kids received an education. She carried huge trays of limes on her head up a hill for $5 a week to help pay for her kids' education.

Lloyd Daley, Zephrine’s son, moved to St. Croix, US Virgin Islands in 1965, and Zephrine was not far behind. She took care of her grandchildren in both Dominica and St. Croix. Her two surviving sons, Lloyd and Lennox Daley, moved in with her to look after her. Her house withstood Hurricane Hugo in 1989.

In 2010, Zephrine fell and broke her hip, but made a full recovery. In March 2016, she fell again, but recovered. On her 110th birthday in August 2016, her sons said she was afraid of falling for a third time, so she had not been as active as she was before the most recent fall. She was affectionately known as “Mama” in her later years.

Zephrine Antonia Thomas passed away on 30 August 2017 in Fredericksted, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, at the age of 111 years, 4 days. She was survived by two sons, several grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren, 12 great-great-grandchildren, and many great and great-great-grandnieces and nephews.