It was a homegoing that Elva would want.That was the feeling most persons had at the thanksgiving service for comedienne Elva Ruddock, which was held at the Karl Hendrickson Auditorium, Jamaica College in St Andrew, last Saturday.

From the music basting from ‘sound boxes’ to the comedic nature of the tributes, all the elements came together to reflect that positive and humour-filled way Ruddock lived her life. The celebration was conducted in the form of a comedy show, with hosts comedian Christopher “Johnny” Daley and media and theatre personality Dahlia Harris. Many of the island’s leading comedians brought laughter to the mourners.

Ruddock’s co-presenter for Bashco infomercial, Omar Azan, said she was a hard-working woman.

“If you knew Elva, you know that the work comes first. Some of you may have heard, how when we were filming the last infomercials, she really should not have been able to make it, but she took up herself and [when] we said, ‘Are you sure you can make it?’ she said, ‘Make it?… Mi outside!’ Elva checked herself out of the hospital and came down to Bashco. She did the whole infomercial and checked herself right back in,” Azan said.

“I truly enjoyed and loved every bit of my time knowing and working with Elva. Our bond on the programme and at the events became something I never expected or envisioned. We became amazing friends,” he added.

Azan was supported on the stage by the entire production team of the infomercial when offering his tribute.

Entertainment and Culture Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange lauded the late comedienne for her sterling contribution to the development of Jamaica’s entertainment industry. She noted that Ruddock helped to share our “one-of-a-kind, Jamaican kind of vibe” with other Caribbean nationals and foreigners across the globe.

“We’re here to celebrate Elva… . One of the final posts that Elva made on social media simply read, ‘If it’s not uplifting, inspiring and resonating with my entire being, it’s a no’, and I think those words simply, succinctly, but adequately, sum up our dear friend Elva,” Grange said.

“She was such a positive person, so full of life, vibrant, joyful, hilarious; someone who could bring sunshine on a rainy day,” she added.

“Elva believed that life will not be perfect, but we have to make it work by doing what is uplifting, inspiring and resonating with the entire being. With that mindset, Elva left the corporate world for the stage. When she left the corporate world, she needed to be free to pursue what she loved best – that was to bring joy and laughter to the lives of others through her comedy,” she said.

Ruddock died on October 7 after a battle for years with lupus.