‘A candle in the dark’

Janet Morrison shook with grief as she reflected on the life of her late husband, Justice Cecil Dennis Harrington Morrison, in a moving thanksgiving service at The University Chapel in St Andrew on Thursday.

“A listening ear, a shoulder, a hand to hold, a shared wisdom, an unclouded and clear insight into a challenging situation. You were being simply you. You were a candle in the dark,” she reminisced.

Smiling shakily as she spoke, hundreds of mourners, who gathered at the University of the West Indies, Mona-based chapel to pay their respects, listened attentively.

“You never took for granted even the smallest act of kindness, no matter from whom. And you did so with genuine respect and humanity,” added the widow. “Thank you for your unsolicited countless acts of kindness to your colleagues, students, those you worked for and worked with, those with whom you appeared, and those who appeared in front of you in your singularly unassuming, humble way”.

‘BEAUTIFUL HEART’

Janet said the former president of the Court of Appeal always gave from his “beautiful heart, expecting nothing in return”.

“I say thank you, Dennis, because you’re always mindful of your manners,” she added.

As Morrison would normally describe Janet as the wind beneath his wings, his rock, and his commander-in-chief, she made it clear on Thursday that the feeling was mutual.

The couple were married for 18 years, after Morrison, in an act contrasting with his personality – they referred to him as ‘Linguist’ – proposed to his wife with a Post-it note, writing: “Will you marry me? How about May 7th?”

Janet paid tribute to her husband with Maya Angelou’s poem When Great Trees Fall, again thanking Morrison.

Meanwhile, Simon remembered his father as an ever-present force in his life.

He shared that even though Morrison was committed to work, he always read bedtime stories for the children, performing the roles with theatrical aplomb.

Simon recalled that although he was often awakened by his father’s shouts of excitement as he watched the West Indies cricket team play, his regular game when Simon was a boy was squash.

“I have fond memories of watching him playing, sitting behind the court or in the rafters above, the sound of the squash ball [hitting] against the wall, the laughter rising from the court,” he said in a tribute “in a spirit of more remembrance than mourning”.

“No amount of time is enough, but I give thanks for what time we had. After all, he was not Justice Morrison at home. Though he did bring his work home, putting in incredible hours at his desk, he was a very light presence,” Simon said.

A STRONG LEADER

Morrison, who died on February 3 at age 73, was seen as a strong leader, distinguished by his lyrical way of speaking and writing.

He obtained a law degree with First Class Honours at The University of the West Indies before heading to the Norman Manley Law School, where he later taught.

A former chairman of Taylor Hall, he was named a Rhodes Scholar in 1975, with his son, Simon, years later, following in his footsteps, marking only the third time in the scholarship’s history that two successive generations in one family shared that distinction.

For many, however, Justice Morrison was most known and admired for his dedication to his profession, a fact evidenced by the numerous accolades in the eulogy delivered by Justice Hillary Phillips.

“There was no doubt that Dennis was an inspiration as he fought for the defenceless and those who had no voice. Throughout those years, Dennis displayed his promise in the courts. He undertook the difficult cases in both the civil and criminal jurisdictions,” Phillips said, noting that she admired her former colleague and that she was proud of the legacy he left behind.

O. Carol Aina, principal of the Norman Manley Law School, said Morrison was often supportive even when she decided to take a new path in the advancement of her career.

“His temperament and manner make him an attractive person. His lively sense of humour and human understanding make him a congenial person. But he also has that quality that makes people listen to what he has to say, a quality of confidence and authority in knowledge and speech. His choice of profession is compatible with his distinct desire for direct contact with humanity,” Aina said.

“I remember and celebrate his consummate humanity, the twinkle in his eye, his trademark smile, his genuine interest in people, his caring and concern about you. About the person he was speaking with,” she continued, resonating with a tribute written by Justice Lisa Shoman.

Governor General Sir Patrick Allen, former Prime Minister Bruce Golding, former Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips, Justice Minister Delroy Chuck, Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn, and many other officials turned out to pay tribute to the giant of the legal profession.

Mickalia Kington