SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland – Not even a motor vehicle accident yesterday in which member of parliament St Aubyn Bartlett’s fiancée and his two sons were seriously injured – less than two hours before the start of the thanksgiving service for the life of his mother, Olive Lawson – could dampen the spirits of the hundreds of persons gathered at the New Testament Church of God here to celebrate her life.

The joyful congregation worshipped in songs and praise, as several persons, including Bartlett and his older brother, Ed Bartlett, who is also a parliamentarian and the Opposition’s spokesman on tourism, paid tribute to Lawson who died in Savanna-la-Mar on September 30. She was 81.

“Our family is very lucky to have her as our mom. She was a wonderful person who helped us to deal with adversaries,” said the younger Bartlett, before divulging information on the accident.

According to him, at about 8:30 am his fiancée Grace Ives was driving a Toyota Prado on the Norman Manley Boulevard with his two sons, Brandon and Justin aboard, when one of its tyres blew out. The vehicle, he said, subsequently got out of control and overturned.

Brandon, 9, he said, was thrown from the vehicle. He suffered multiple lacerations on his feet. Ives, he added, suffered concussion and bruises, while Justin, 6, sustained a fractured skull. They were taken to the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital and were scheduled to be airlifted to the University Hospital in Kingston late yesterday.

But the incident, which was later confirmed by the police, did not prevent St Aubyn Bartlett from continuing his tribute to his mother.

“She was a central figure around. She was an avid reader and loved to sing,” he said, before belting out his version of Luther Vandross’ Dance With My Father, much to the delight of the large gathering.

Among the mourners were Governor-General Professor Kenneth Hall and his wife Rheima, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, Opposition Leader Bruce Golding, custos of Westmoreland Owen Sinclair, government ministers, JLP general-secretary Karl Samuda, several MPs, senators, mayors, councillors from across the political divide.

“We are a political family despite our differences,” said Ed Bartlett as he acknowledged some of the politicians in attendance.

In his tribute, he said his mother instilled values and inspired everyone with the “charity of her love”.

“Mother, today we remember you with pride and a sense of great animation, and as a person who taught us to be proud,” he said, noting that his mother was the backbone of the family.

Several other tributes were paid to Lawson, who had nine children, before Ed and St Aubyn combined perfectly in rendering their version of the popular Candy Station song, Sin Doesn’t Live Here.

cummingsm@jamaicaobserver.com