‘Virtuous lady’ Esmie E. Turnbull-Stoutt aka ‘Muddy’ is VI’s latest centenarian
Esmie was born on April 22, 1925, to William and Amelia Turnbull in Cane Garden Bay, Tortola. She was the 10th of 13 children born to this union. Coincidentally, Esmie also became the mother of 13 children.
The family of Esmie held a celebration in her honour on her 100th birth anniversary, which was attended by Governor Daniel Pruce; Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7); Minister for Health and Social Development Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9); Minister for Communications and Works Hon Kye M. Rymer (R5), who was also celebrating his birthday; First District Representative Hon Karl Dawson; Second District Representative Hon Melvin M. Turnbull; and Deputy Governor David D. Archer Jr, among others.
Esmie is the widow of the late legislator Prince Stoutt.
‘Very virtuous lady’
Premier Wheatley presented a cheque in the amount of $10,000 on behalf of the Government, expressing to Esmie that Cabinet recently made a decision to increase the amount of the centenarian grant from $5,000 to $10,000.
He said he believed centenarians should be granted $1,000 for each decade of life.
Esmie is the first centenarian to receive the increased grant.
Speaking in the House of Assembly (HoA) later in the day during the debate of the now passed Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Bill, 2025, Premier Wheatley described Mrs Stoutt as a “very virtuous lady…A lady who we had the pleasure of visiting this morning... She is a product of the Virgin Islands…She is an example of the identity of a Virgin Islander, and that is the foundation for the rest of us who are here, whether you have ancestry here or not.”
Meanwhile, Health Minister Hon Wheatley congratulated Esmie on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Social Development, the ministry responsible for seniors.
Both the Premier and the Health Minister presented the centenarian with a bouquet of flowers.
Esmie thanked them and expressed her love and appreciation to them for their visit and wished the Premier well.
Governor Daniel Pruce presented a card on behalf of King Charles and a bouquet of flowers.
A woman of faith, resilience & service
Esmie’s legacy is described as one of faith, resilience, service, and love for her family and community.
She is also regarded as a living testament to the values of hard work, faith, and community spirit and had a deep passion for farming.
Raised in the scenic village of Cane Garden Bay, Tortola, Esmie witnessed and participated in the social and cultural development of her community throughout her life. From a young age, she attended the Cane Garden Bay Primary School and completed Seventh Standard, the highest level at that time.
Esmie was positively influenced by her mother and her aunt Rebecca (Mama Lade) whom she described as real Christians. She recalls their faithfulness to the work of the Lord at the all-night prayer meetings where the people of God went from village to village, as well as the Cottage Meetings held every Wednesday where they went from house to house.
On September 9, 1952, 'Muddy' married Prince Stoutt of Long Bay. Together, they parented 13 children.
“She was an exemplary homemaker and cultivated a household known for love, care, and discipline. She devoted quality time to raising her children and several of her grandchildren. Today, she can see the fruits of her many hours of labour that have produced a bountiful harvest. While her husband served as a legislator, she was a supportive wife, accompanying him at his public events and undergirding him continually in prayer,” according to Esmie’s biography prepared for her 100th birthday.
Esmie’s dedication to her faith and her local Methodist church is “unmatched”. She became an active member of the Cane Garden Bay Methodist Church in 1952, and her commitment grew stronger with time.
‘Muddy’ became a respected member of the Women's League in 1966, was deeply involved in its activities and also served as treasurer and president of the League. Additionally, she shared her beautiful singing voice as a long-standing member of the church's Senior Choir.
Sharp mind!
Her personal faith journey took a significant step in 1961 when she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour, and her life's work in faith, family, and community-building was enriched by the strong moral foundation she built in her church.
Even at the age of 100, she remains well-versed in scriptures and hymns, a testament to her enduring faith and spiritual dedication.
She gave credit to her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, for keeping her over the years.
Her favourite Bible scripture is John 3:16 – ‘For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life’.
Some of her favourite hymns are: ‘I am redeemed, oh praise the Lord’; ‘Along the Sandy Desert’; ‘Oh Happy Day’; ‘Keep step with the Master’; ‘Blessed Assurance’; and ‘Jesus is mine’.
According to the family, her secret can be attributed to genes. Her oldest sister and mother were also centenarians, as well as her aunt. She also has centenarians in her extended family – Hodge, Davis and Rymer.
Known for her culinary prowess, Muddy was renowned for her delectable dishes-ranging from stewed chicken and mutton, goat head and foot soup, pea soup, pumpkin soup to cassava bread and mouthwatering tarts and sweet potato puddings.
Her favourite dishes are mutton and peas soup (Tortola style – milk, sugar and pigtail).
In addition, her sewing skills provided her family with lovingly crafted clothes, ensuring that they always looked their best, especially for church and special occasions.
Her sense of community extended beyond her immediate family. For over 18 years, she was an active member of the Créme of the Crop Senior Citizens' Group in Carrot Bay.
Words of advice
Meanwhile, Esmie E. Turnbull-Stoutt, aka ‘Muddy’, was happy to see many of her relatives and friends who visited for her birthday celebration. She was also happy that all of her surviving children were present. They included Carolyn E. Stoutt-Igwe, Janice A. Stoutt, Prince A. Stoutt, Denzil Clyne, Joycelyn Hoyte, Gladia Fahie, Lucien Stoutt, Wilford Stoutt, Berinice Stoutt-Lewis, Andre S. Dawson aka 'Shadow', Shirleen Stoutt, and MacNeil Stoutt.
Asked what advice Esmie may have for the Virgin Islands, a family member said Esmie has worked hard throughout her life and would often say that hard work does not kill anyone.
“She would often encourage persons to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour and live daily for him. She would also encourage persons to live in love and harmony with each other,” the family member stated.
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5 Responses to “‘Virtuous lady’ Esmie E. Turnbull-Stoutt aka ‘Muddy’ is VI’s latest centenarian”
Centenary mrs Esmie Stoutt also know as Muddy. She is indeed a wonderful lady. May her life be blessed always. Congrats to her children and the rest of the family for taking such good care of her.
Happy Birthday family
Happy 100th to you Mrs. Stoutt. Blessings!