Jill Stewart, stubbornly refusing to leave her husband, Adam — the son of a beloved national icon — and their three young children, fought gallantly to her last breath to stave off cancer, publicly sharing her journey in the hope of bringing solace to others.

On Saturday, hundreds filled Blessed Sacrament Roman Catholic Cathedral in Montego Bay, St James, to pay last respects to the woman who her husband pledged to “spend the rest of my days looking for you in every sunset, through every seagull and rainbow after each storm”.

Battling through the tears, Stewart vowed, “For the rest of my life, I will never stop praying that I find you again… where we will continue our love story… side by side.”

In death, Jill united Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Opposition Leader Mark Golding and their wives, who headed the mourners attending from near and far. Officiating clergy included Archbishop of Kingston Kenneth Richards, Bishop of Montego Bay Burchell McPherson, homilist Deacon Baldwin Powell, and Deacon Ronald Thwaites, among others.

Family members, long-time friends, and her personal butler painted a common picture of Jill Stewart, a Bahamian who fell in love with Jamaica, as one who had the gift of connecting people, a teacher in every sense of the word and, above all, someone who knew how to love.

“It is one of life’s mysteries that Jill found space in her heart to love her friends as much as she loved Adam and her children,” said sister-in-law Jaime Stewart.

Describing Jill as her first best friend, Lana Rademaker said losing her felt like losing a part of herself, adding, “Her absence hurts!”

But it was Adam’s heart-rending tribute tracing their love life from boarding school days — he then 14 years old and she 15 — that set off a torrent of tears across the old cathedral building.

“This was not supposed to be the ending to our love story. Jill and I were supposed to grow old together and continue to watch our children thrive. We would often talk about the day we would welcome our kids’ kids… and how we planned to spend our time surrounded by their laughter… and reminiscing about the days when we were just a little bit younger. The truth is everything seemed possible when we were together. That’s because Jill just made things better,” he said.

He thanked the many who meant a great deal to Jill and his family, saying of his late father, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, “You loved Jill for the stability and depth she brought into my life. My dad understood better than anyone that decisions could come with truth or consequences. He considered the Jill decision one of the best ones I ever made. He knew that Jill was my source of strength, my stability, my calm. He respected what she brought into my life on both a personal and professional level. I want to thank him for always supporting my love for Jill and for his support throughout our entire marriage.”

And to big brother Brian Jardim, who read a lesson, and sister-in-law Sheila Jardim, “You have a love that Jill and I emulated. This love came down from Grandpa Max and Grandma Joe. It’s amazing how life transcends and how the example of love, in its purest form, can inspire.

“The entire Jardim family played such an important role in helping Jill to settle in Montego Bay. Like a lifeline, they were always there… Brian and Sheila, Max, Ben, and Zach and your beautiful brides. Thank you for the unconditional love you have shown Jilly and for standing by our side.”