A edited excerpt of the eulogy for Isolyn Christie delivered at the service of thanksgiving for her life held at August Town Open Bible Church on December 20, 2014. The eulogy was read by Christie’s grandniece, Cindy-Ann Francis.

Softly you tiptoed into our world, almost silently, only a moment you stayed. But what an imprint your footsteps have left upon our hearts. Remembering you is easy. We do it every day, but missing you is a heartache that never goes away.

On behalf of the Christie family, I want to thank you all for taking the time out to celebrate with us, the life of Isolyn Christie who was born to Maria Wallen and Azariah Shaw.

Before she came to Kingston at age 19, she used to journey weekly with her mother to Papine market to sell produce, such as green banana, cho-cho, and peas. She would pack the mule and they would walk from Cascade, Portland. She would oftentimes reminisce about how she manoeuvred the topography which she dramatised with action. She showed us how she had to be fit to keep up with the mule.

LIFE IN PORTLAND

Auntie was educated at Cascade Elementary School where she had a passion for Arithmetic. As a child, Isolyn loved to dance, or “sport” as she would refer to it. You name the dance moves of her days, whether it was the three-step waltz, ska, you name it… she would happily share those steps with us.

Aunt Winnie was a defender of her own rights. Yes, her own rights. She was the female version of Mike Tyson; if a boy or a girl mashed her toes in the dance, Winnie would let them have it.

Despite how she was dressed she had to improvise her own footwear; with her ingenuity she used whiting to create the illusion of strappy sandals/slippers, or wet dirt to make the impression of a shoe.

WORK LIFE

She was a family-oriented person who took up the task of caring for a doctor and his family in Stony Hill. She affectionately referred to them as Doc and Miss Molly. While working she had to take care of her siblings in Cascade — Doris and Roslyn who pre-deceased her, and her brother Hervin. She pack boxes with food and clothing weekly for them.

It is said that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy… Mommy lived in Jones Town where she met daddy (Owen Christie who pre-deceased her) and started a family of her own. This union produced three children — Wykham (Dwight), Olamaie (Apple) and Claudette (Tency). The family then relocated to Bottom River, August Town (approximately 50 years ago).

She was also a home maker who cared for her children, reared goats, chicken, pigs, rabbits, guinea pigs, and pigeons. She gave them names, such as ‘Joan’, ‘Blacky’, and ‘Mary’, among others.

Each child had to take turns milking the goats and picking up duck eggs. But what we liked about this was having the warm milk and eggs in the mornings.

Let Dwight tell you about the rooster ‘Cassius Clay’; Very aggressive. Dwight made a sword — from board and wrapped in foil — to fight him in order to enter the coop to feed him and the other chickens.

Mommy was a business -oriented person, based on her skills acquired as a young girl, In the 1970s she opened a shop in Bottom River. It did not take off as she expected but she did not give up. She had two very good friends on the ‘Crescent’ — Miss Bethune and Aunty — who encouraged her to take her business to a spot in Auntie’s yard.

Business flourished from a stall, which grew into a shop. Owing to the distance of the shop from home, her mode of transportation was unique — a wheel borrow.

Mommy sold a variety of goods, which included grocery items, meats such as chicken back and chicken, and ground provision.

Poor us!!! Tency, the young entrepreneur who knew nothing about the “wheel borrow experiences”, was Mommy’s right-hand. It was there that she gained her entrepreneurial skills and is now the proud owner of her own business.

Our mother cared deeply for everyone, she always had the house jam-packed with nieces, grand-nieces and other relatives (don’t know why, but she always gravitated towards the girl children of the family) at summer and Christmas time. Feeding us required her to pull out that special pot which she called the ‘big pot’.

Undoubtedly, mom lived a full life. She got to see another part of the world when she visited New York and New Jersey.

She was a true philanthropist, family woman, and a woman of worth.

There is no greater love than a mother’s love for her children… Mommy, you were the most amazing person we knew… A woman who fed the world with her love and humility. You were indeed a virtuous woman, super mother, super grandma, super woman of God, super aunt, super grand aunt… All of what we are today is a true reflection of you.

Photo: Isolyn

7415 – Valeria Christie/Wyhham Christie, son and daughter in law

7417 – Bobby Pickersgill and niece

7432 – Cindy Ann Francis, grand niece

7453 – Janet Wallen, family friend, and Olamaie Christie’s daughter

7460 – Emily-Rose Christie, Valerie and Wykham Christie

7465 – Sister and niece – Cynthia Marrah and Denise Marrah

7471 – Prayer for family members

7483 – Olamaie Christie and Cindy-Ann Francis could not hold back the tears.

7461 – Gloria Simpson and Leonique Goffe.

7486 – Pallbearers leaving the church with the casket bearing the remains of Isolyn Christie.