Congress to celebrate roots
Published Wednesday July 8th, 2009
114-year-old named honorary president of Arsenault family association
When large Acadian families gather to celebrate their roots on occasions such as this summer's World Acadian Congress, there is always room for rekindling of old rivalries.
But while bragging rights can be fought for over on a variety of family specialties, the Arsenault family thinks there will be little debate over longevity.
At the age of 114, Mary Josephine Ray, has accepted an invitation to serve as the honorary president of the family's association.
Mary Josephine, who was born an Arsenault on Prince Edward Island before her life led her to Maine and then New Hampshire, is the third oldest person in the world.
"We think we have one over on any other family that will be holding a meeting," said Frederic Arsenault, the newly incorporated association's president. "I don't think they can find anyone even close to being that old."
Of course, Frederic, 66, is not suggesting that longevity is by any means a competition. However, he said he is among many members of the Arsenault family would like to follow in Mary Josephine's footsteps for as long as he can.
He said members of the family are honoured to have Mary Josephine serve as an extraordinary symbol of the family's tenacity and vitality.
"What is interesting is that you can see she still seems to be quite active, and apparently she plays cribbage and beats people half her age," said Frederic.
For those keeping track, that means Mary Josephine can beat 57-year-olds at her favourite game.
Mary Josephine is also an enthusiastic Boston Red Sox fan, and she even attended a game at Fenway Park back in the summer of 2003.
Mary Josephine's granddaughter, Kathy, 56, said the supercentenarian was happy to accept the honorary presidency, although she took the new title in stride.
"She is a woman of few words; it was more of a thank you."
As a woman of strong will who loves to party, Mary Josephine seems to be perfectly suited for the honorary position with the family association that will do plenty of celebrating this summer.
"She loves her birthday parties and she really doesn't think about her age," said Kathy.
"She doesn't say, 'Wow, I am the third oldest. She doesn't think about how old she is. When her birthday comes around she wants her party."
Mary Josephine doesn't speak French, but she can sing and pray in her Acadian tongue.
"She still sings songs in French, and her schooling education only went to the third grade, and she was self-taught in writing," said Kathy.
"She knows prayers. She still has some of her papers from her school. She has a notebook with French songs and things."
Overall, Kathy says her grandmother has maintained a strong body and personality despite losing some of her vision in recent years.
"She has a strong personality, she doesn't act like she is ever going to die. She is very healthy, very strong, and she doesn't think about dying either."
Mary Josephine is the oldest Red Sox fan, and the third oldest Canadian-born individual on record, and Frederic points out that Mary Josephine is clearly the oldest person of Acadian origin to have ever lived.
The P.E.I. native has two sons, and eight grandchildren, and all are still living.
Mary Josephine moved to Maine as a young girl and lived in Rumford, Madison and Anson. Her parents died when she was eight, and she eventually moved to New Hampshire. She now lives in a nursing home near Kathy's home in Westmoreland, a small town of about 1,800 residents.
Frederic, a former deputy minister in the provincial government and a Rhodes Scholar, said Mary Josephine's migration is typical of waves of Acadians who left the Maritimes for opportunities south of the border.
"You have quite a few Arsenault families in the northeast U.S. I know Massachusetts has the highest number in the phone book, more than 1,400," said Frederic, noting that the phenomenon was particularly evident in families from Kent County.
He said the rural economy of Prince Edward Island also pushed many Acadians from large families to seek new homes.
The Arsenault reunion will take place this summer in Saint Isidore on Aug. 14, but Mary Josephine will not be able to make the trip.
During a meeting of about 800 members of the Arsenault family in Amherst in 2004, during the most recent World Acadian Congress, a committee was given the mandate to take steps to incorporate a family association, which was done earlier this year. Frederic said the objective of the association is to bring together the descendants of Pierre Arsenault, who was the first Arsenault to settle in Acadia. The association also intends to recognize the contribution of Pierre Arsenault and his family to the history of Acadia with a monument at Beaubassin in Nova Scotia.
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