During her more than 100 years on Earth, Jamaican Ena Collymore-Woodstock earned a reputation as a trailblazer. Therefore, it was natural that last Friday many Jamaicans with knowledge of her outstanding achievements joined her family and close friends as they paid tribute to her during a thanksgiving service for her life and inurnment at St Andrew Parish Church in Half-Way-Tree.

“She was a pioneer, a ground-breaker, a trailblazer, a pacesetter, a visionary, and a glass ceiling-breaker. As many have indicated, and to paraphrase a line from Muriel Strode, ‘She did not follow where the path led, but instead, went where there was no path and left a trail’.” Robert Woodstock said of his mother, Jamaica’s first resident magistrate or parish judge who ascended to the grand courtroom above on December 2, 2025 at age 108.

Woodstock eulogised his mother — who he said was affectionately known as “EJ” — as a woman who had a wonderful spirit, loved to dance, and enjoyed a good party.

“Most of all, however, EJ was unselfish but dogged and determined, even stubborn. She was humble and forgiving. She was a very good money manager — thrifty and frugal but never stingy,” he said, adding that his mother was a woman of faith, hope, and love.

The scope of Collymore-Woodstock’s achievements was evident in the individuals who turned up to pay their final respects. Among them was Vice Admiral Antonette Wemyss-Gorman, Jamaica’s first and current female chief of defence staff, former Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips, former Turks and Caicos Islands Minister of Tourism Josephine Connolly, and many officers of the courts in Jamaica as well as the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Collymore-Woodstock was also a World War II veteran. Her biography states that in 1943 she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service, the women’s branch of the British Army, and was the first West Indian to become a radar operator. Up until her death, she was regarded as Britain’s oldest surviving female veteran of the Second World War.

After travelling by boat from Jamaica to England, she landed a clerical job at the War Office, but after strong protests from her, she was pushed to front-line duty, which was her desire. She later became Britain’s first black female radar operator.

Her duties included radioing into the command post to alert them if there were any enemy planes on the horizon in order to launch counter-attacks.

Collymore-Woodstock became a lawyer in 1948, and when she returned to Jamaica she was appointed the first female clerk of courts, after which she became a Crown solicitor.

At a repast held for Collymore-Woodstock at Terra Nova All-Suite hotel in St Andrew, Connolly described her as a phenomenal woman.

“I am also the president of the Girl Guides Association and a member of the Soroptimist International. She came to Turks and Caicos in 1976 when ministerial governments were just being introduced to the island. She was so many things. She was also the attorney general, the registrar of companies, and she introduced Soroptimist to Turks and Caicos Islands,” Connolly said.

“She encouraged us to be the best we could be. She encouraged us to not lag behind but to take on jobs that men will take on because the sky is the limit. We were very grateful for a woman like Ena Woodstock. She was a phenomenal woman,” Connolly added.

Soroptimist International is a global volunteer movement aimed at transforming the lives and status of women and girls through education, empowerment, and enabling opportunities.

Corporal Joni Barnes (left) and Private Domonique Gordon deliver the standard bugle call before the urn bearing the ashes of Ena Collymore-Woodstock is taken from St Andrew Parish Church last Friday. The bugle call is used to signify the end of a soldier’s duty and to honour their service. Photo: Joseph Wellington

Robert Woodstock carries the urn with the remains of his mother, Ena Collymore Woodstock, from St Andrew Parish Church at the end of the thanksgiving service for her life last Friday. With him are his sisters and wife (from second left) Careth Woodstock-Flash, Marguerite Woodstock-Riley and Dawn Woodstock.Photo: Joseph Wellington

Very Rev Cannon Sirrano Kitson incenses the urn with the remains of Ena Collymore-Woodstock during the thanksgiving service for her life last Friday at St Andrew Parish Church in Half-Way-Tree.Photo: Joseph Wellington

Former Minister of Tourism in the Turks and Caicos Islands Josephine Connolly at the repast following the thanksgiving service for the life of Ena Collymore-Woodstock last Friday.Photo: Jason Cross