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In 1800 and 86, Cooks Harbour, Newfoundland,
A flower blossomed in that fall, the Lord had things in hand;
October tenth was the date, Susan was her name,
A century to unfold, with friends her only gain.
Even as a little child the town could see her love,
A special girl with special ways and harmless as a dove;
Now some folks say she married at the age of 25,
The bachelors called young Henry the luckiest man alive.
Now Henry was a fisherman, he cast the finest net,
But little did he ever dream he'd catch the finest catch;
1911 was the year, God blessed their joining hands,
It would be eternal into the promised land.
Henry was from Ship Cove, where he spent his childhood years,
His hometown name became his trade through hard work, sweat, and tears;
He wanted his bride to have the best as he rode upon the seas,
But Susan knew she had the best and she tried her best to please.
As time passed by, the children came, three daughters and four sons,
They thanked the Lord for everything, each blessing one by one;
Susan was a midwife for thirty years and five,
160 felt her hand as she watched them come alive.
Greenbay would have to carry on in 1961,
At 75 she said, I'm through, and Susan's work was done;
She spent her time with Henry, she couldn't ask for more,
It only lasted three short years he died in '64.
I drove down to Cooks Harbour, from St. Anthony by the sea,
To meet this wonderful person and shake hands with history;
She was humble as a servant, her eyes did brightly shine,
As she spoke of joining Henry a little further down the line.
Nineteen years had rushed on by since Henry passed away,
She missed him so but he had to go, it seemed like yesterday;
The Northern Pen had wrote how she'd trip on a pencil line,
That's not hard to figure out, she'd reached the age of ninety-nine.
Here's to the great Creator who shared her for a while,
Thank you, God, for showing us how to walk a better mile;
We'll see you Nanny Barrett, say hi to Henry, too,
Please be there to greet us when our earthly life is through.
