Melissa Silvera remembered as force of nature
Published:Saturday | January 13, 2024 | 12:10 AMSashana Small/Staff Reporter
Nine years ago, friends and family of Melissa Silvera gathered at the St Andrew Parish Church to witness her wedding to former Member of Parliament Jolyan Silvera.
Yesterday, Jolyan and her relatives and friends congregated at that same church but for a much more sombre occasion – to bid goodbye to the woman they described as a force of nature.
Melissa died on November 10.
Initial reports were that she died in her sleep.
However, the police have since opened a murder investigation into her death.
Three bullet fragments were found in Silvera’s body.
No suspect has been named in her death.
Jolyan cried silently for most of the ceremony, while also trying to console their sons who broke down at various points.
Quoting verses from 1 Corinthians 13, which extols the virtues of love, Cynthia Silvera, Jolyan’s mother who read the remembrance on his behalf, said Melissa exhibited a rare combination of composure, articulation and exceptional intelligence since she was a child.
“Her story woven into the fabric of our family unfolded with grace, determination and a brilliance that illuminated every corner of our lives,” she read.
As a wife and mother, she said Melissa’s dedication was unparalleled, and she approached her duties with an “unwavering commitment, from the smallest milestones, to significant life events. She stood by our sons … with a radiance of pride and joy.”
“As we navigate the void left by your absence, your physical absence, I am committed to carrying forward the flame of your love, ensuring that your legacy flourishes in the hearts of our sons, and the countless lives you’ve touched,” she continued.
Melissa was 42 years old, and a former student of Immaculate Conception High. She pursued a chemical engineering degree from the University of Virginia, United States.
After graduating and returning to Jamaica, she gained employment at the state-owned oil refinery Petrojam as a process engineer in the refinery department, and was later promoted to marketing and economics coordinator in the logistics and marketing department.
“She was not just an employee, but also an integral part of the tapestry that makes Petrojam unique. The recollections shared by her former Petrojam colleague speak to her unique and distinctive character,” a tribute from the agency where she worked from 2003 to 2008 read.
But Cynthia said Melissa had a dream to build her own logistics hub in St Thomas.
“Her relentless pursuit of progress, sometimes misconstrued as overbearing, was in reality a manifestation of her profound love, especially for her country and her family,” she shared.
Former Prime Minister of Jamaica, P.J. Patterson, who described Melissa as his niece in his written tribute, expressed the lingering struggles of coming to terms with her death.
“For obviously compelling reasons and my own feelings of incalculable loss, this tribute ranks among the most difficult to write; so much has to be left unsaid,” he said.
He too praised Melissa’s ambition and shared dreams of national development.
“What if her life had not been so suddenly cut short? We are left to speculate what might have been!,” he said.
‘Fighting spirit’
Her friends, led by Lacy Wan, gave a series of tributes where they eulogised Melissa as a dedicated mother and a loyal friend, who possessed a “fighting spirit”.
“She sought to give the children the best of everything she could,” Wan shared. “She never took her eyes off the goals, the best education … and if she felt that they needed addition to the lessons at school, she became the teacher herself.”
Leader of the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP), Mark Golding in his written tribute, said Melissa was a valued member of the political party and whose family has contributed much. Golding committed his party’s support to the well-being of her three sons.
“Although no one can replace a mother to her children, I give the assurance that our party will stand by them as they grow, doing as much as our capacity allows,” he said.
Melissa was buried in the church cemetery. She is survived by three sons and her husband.