Director of the Kingston College Chapel Choir from January 1956 – December 1967
The editor of The KC Times, Glen Laman, contacted me saying that some people had asked where I now live, (assuming I was still earth-bound), and what I was doing in my “retirement.”
After my family moved in 1976 for a 3-year contract for teaching and presenting concerts in The Bahamas, we finally moved to the USA when I was 50.
In Atlanta, my wife Laodice and I both went back to school. I attended Columbia Theological Seminary while she attended the Dekalb Technical College where she later joined the faculty. I became a Presbyterian minister and, later, faculty at the Seminary.
Retiring from there at age 76, I became a co-pastor at a church in Stone Mountain, GA. Retiring from the church at age 86, I became organist and choir director at a nearby Episcopal Church.
I finally retired at the age of 90, and am now in my 95 th year, looking after myself, and in very good health with not a single medication or supplement needed.
Since relocating to Florida from Atlanta three years ago, after the death of my wife, I organized, played and preached at Jamaican Independence Services in August 2022 and 2023 at the Presbyterian Church in Palm Coast.
In January this year, following a well-attended concert of Jamaican Christmas Carols sung by a small volunteer choir (half Jamaican), I received this letter from a Jamaican lady in the choir:
“Thank you for all you do to keep us connected, while sharing so much of who we are as a people, and of our beautiful country's history and culture.”
I feel very honored.
Next concert now in preparation – “Folk Songs of the West Indies”, but before that, entertaining folks at two nursing homes on Valentine's Day – and then it will be time to start preparing for the 2024 Jamaica Independence Service.
So that's what I'm doing now.
If there are any Old Boys in the Palm Coast area, I would be very happy to connect with them.
FORTIS!