MONTEGO BAY, St James — The late Hyacinth Jacqueline Forde (JP, OD) was not just remembered on Saturday as an excellent teacher, but as someone who touched lives.

At a funeral service held at the St James Parish Church ,where she was a member for decades since moving to Montego Bay in the early 1970s, the former Cornwall College teacher and vice-principal was remembered as “a lady par excellence”, “an accomplished woman from humble beginnings” and a “fearless motivator and trend-setter”.

Forde died on September 23 at 85 years old after a long illness. She leaves behind two children – John-Andrew and Marie Lou — five grandchildren and one great- granddaughter.

In addition to teaching, Forde found time for many other civic activities.

A former member of the Soroptimist International of western Jamaica, she was also an executive at the Peace Management Initiative and worked at the Jamaica Tourist Board as one of the very first hostesses in the Meet the People programme.

A tribute sent by former Prime Minister PJ Patterson described Forde as a “teacher par excellence,” whose “mannerisms and tenacity could not escape attention”.

Dr Kenneth Baugh, a former minister of health and family friend, and Francis Tulloch, a former tourism minister, also sent in written tributes.

And Roy Hutchinson, a family friend for over 50 years, described the late teacher as someone who overcame obstacles, “one of a kind”. He said she “learned early in life to make good decisions”.

Hutchinson said the late teacher who was born in Georges Plain in Westmoreland, was denied a place at Manning’s School as her parents could not afford the fees. He said she later managed, however, to gain entry to the Bethlehem Teachers’ College.

Several years later Forde went to live overseas but returned to the island in 1971 — accompanied by her late husband Louis — to take up a job at Cornwall College, where she taught English Language and Geography.

She later became the head of the Geography department and a vice-principal at the all-boys school.

Archbishop Charles Dufour, who worked with Forde at the Peace Management Initiative, told the packed church that she was “larger than life and demanded attention”.

“She was always prepared for any eventuality,” he said.

Dr David McBean, who was one of her students at Cornwall College, said the late educator “was more than just a teacher, but someone who cared deeply about the welfare of all her students”.

McBean added: “They don’t make them like this anymore.”

Describing her as “our mother”, McBean said she “exuded class… had grace, elegance, élan and good manners”.

She was cremated and her ashes interred on the grounds of the St James Parish Church.