EULOGY FOR THE LIFE OF THE LATE ICILDA MAUD BARNES (Nee Bailey) “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth no bread of idleness. Her children arise up and call her blessed, her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.” The year 1933 was a very significant one in world history. It was the middle of the Great depression in North America, It was the year Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany. A little closer to home, 1933 was the year when one of the worst floods hit Jamaica with the loss of 53 lives. Nevertheless, despite the disasters and mayhem, it was a year of jubilation for Wilburn and Vera Bailey as on the 8th of January, 1933 in this small, quiet little corner of the world, Mt Oliphant South Manchester, they welcomed their sixth child into the world...a beautiful baby girl whom they named Icilda Maud. They later nicknamed her 'Rountiful' as she was so chubby and cute. She attended the Pratville Primary school, while living with her Aunt Mary in the adjoining district of Manningsfield. It was at Pratville Primary that she got her first taste of education. Here she developed a lifelong passion for learning that was largely responsible for the path her life eventually took. After Pratville Primary. She went on, as was the custom in those days, to learn a trade. She learnt dressmaking from the best... Mrs Adlyn Thompson (Aunt Adlyn) who was later to become her sister in law. Icilda (or Cilda as she was affectionately called) was brought up with sound Christian principles and so it was whilst she was a teenager that she gave her life to Christ and became a born again Christian. Christ and his church then became the centre of her universe. All else was secondary. She held true to the commandment reiterated by Christ himself in Matthew 22 verses 37-39 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and the greatest commandment. Icilda Maud truly loved the Lord. We salute her Woman of God! In 1957 at the age of 24, she moved to Christiana in North Manchester where she pursued her career in dressmaking. She was by all accounts an excellent dressmaker and her sartorial creations were legendary, but her passion for education spurred her on to enroll in a programme for commercial studies. She finished her studies with flying colours. Most persons would have at this stage sought employment within the commercial sector. Not Icilda! Having now been truly bitten by the bug of education, she proceeded to set up a school to train other young women to get their certification in commercial studies. She also at the same time taught some of them the art of dressmaking. We salute her Woman of Vision! If Christ and the Church was the centre of her universe, and Education was her passion, her earthly love appeared in the form of a dashing and dapper gentleman by the name of Gilbert Barnes whom she lovingly called Brother Gilbert. In fact if her nickname was “Rountiful” Brother Gilbert’s nickname should have been “Bountiful” for such he was. A good provider, a man of God, blessed with skill, talent and a warm and friendly disposition. It was no surprise then, that in 1964 they tied the knot and she moved back to Mt Oliphant and began a new chapter in her life. From this union of “Rountiful” and “Bountiful” the yield was plentiful, producing five 5 children: Marcia (aka Maizie); Karlene; Sharon (and as the story goes at this point Bro Gilbert was reported to have said "Gyal Again??!!" despairing that the long- awaited boy had still not arrived). Two years after Sharon's arrival however, his prayers were answered. He was filled with joy, for along came a boy whose name was Roy. Some five years later along came another son. Now at age 42 perhaps mom didn’t find it so funny, but along came George affectionately called Tony. Being the consummate teacher, mom successfully home schooled all her children before they went into the official school system, and as such when they started they all had to skip a grade or 2. We salute her loving wife and mother! Her involvement in education became full time, as she became a teacher at the Campbell’s Castle Elementary School, where she remained for a number of years. When the Pratville Secondary School (now the Winston Jones high School) opened its doors she was hired as the School's first Stenographer. Whilst there, she was such a well-rounded member of staff that she was also the de-facto librarian as well as being in charge of the school’s Sick Bay. Always nattily dressed in one of her latest creations, she could be seen morning and evening making the long journey from home to work and back. Mom covered the nearly five miles from home to work at an amazing pace for someone with such short legs. Quite often she would fearlessly travel these roads long after nightfall she would drop in on neighbours for a quick chat. Of course, being nighttime inevitably her knock on a neighbours door would be greeted by “who is that” and she would always respond “CB” meaning Cilda Barnes as she oftimes referred to herself. When asked if she wasn’t afraid travelling alone as a woman in the dark, her response would always be that she was under the divine protection of God. Yes although she was always the “Best Dressed” this “CB” was no chicken. In time, the family acquired a Land Rover which local folk dubbed “morning ride” as they were always assured of a lift if there was space available. She remained at Pratville Secondary until her retirement in 1990. We salute her Icilda Barnes the educator! After her retirement she took up farming and became one of the region's most well- known Mint Farmers supplying mint to the manufacturers of Tops Pep' O Mint tea in Kingston as well as Jamaica Standard Products in Manchester. She even launched her own product line of peppermint, cerasee, and various indigenous Jamaican herbal remedies. This venture employed several members of the local community. In 1991 after the death of her beloved Brother Gilbert, (or Daddy as she affectionately called him), the first signs of Alzheimer's Disease appeared but Mom with her indomitable self, tackled it head on...she made her little lists every time, whether it was that she had to go to Mandeville for any reason whatsoever, or just to ensure she would remember everything whilst she was about her affairs at home. It was to be 20 years after this, and after receiving tender loving care from quite a few care givers, (and Nurses Cunningham, Morgan, Gayle and Corrine have to be singled out here for commendation) she finally succumbed to her illness and transitioned to be with her Maker and to join her Husband on September 15, 2014 at the age of 81 years. In addition to her 5 children above, she has left to mourn 3 Sons in Law, 2 Daughters in Law, 7 Grandchildren, 1 great grandchild, 3 brothers, 3 sisters, Nieces, Nephews, cousins and scores of other relatives and friends. We as her children can borrow the words of Abraham Lincoln : “All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother” May her soul rest in divine peace and light perpetual shine upon her. ******