Late Crimson Dawn co-founder praised as business supermom
Published:Thursday | August 4, 2022 | 12:06 AMSonae Rose/Gleaner Intern
Paulette Rhoden, director and co-founder of sports gear maker, Crimson Dawn Manufacturing Company Ltd, has died.
She reportedly died of a heart attack on July 22 at the University Hospital of the West Indies, leaving behind three sons – Sasha, Warren and Todd – the current director of Crimson Dawn.
She was 74 years old.
According to her son, Warren, her death was unexpected.
“She just took ill all of a sudden. It was a sudden thing. She’s normally a healthy, strong woman,” he said in a Gleaner interview Tuesday.
Paulette started Crimson Dawn 47 years ago with her husband in the garage of their current headquarters with a small number of machines. The fledgling company grew and the family managed to acquire the entire property.
“The inspiration that she had was the joy of working with her husband and creating a legacy for both of them and her kids,” Warren said.
He explained that even with challenges over the years, his mother never gave up.
“It’s PE uniforms, sports uniforms we deal with, so out of season and stuff like that. For the most part, she kept it tight and running. She never gave up,” he said.
“She knew how to roll with the punches and she made the best of it so that we can still have this company running and going as she wanted it to.”
He also said that his mother was a humanitarian and that she was a “mother to everybody”.
“She kept herself busy. Everybody that knows her knows that she never rests until now. But she was there for a lot of people, a lot of organisations, JMEA, JAMPRO, the different schools. She was a mother to a lot of St George’s College boys. She taught them the Queen’s English and how to keep themselves tidy and neat, shirt in pants, all of the above.”
Warren said that his mother’s caring nature was always present as the fourth oldest of 12 siblings. She had six brothers and five sisters.
According to Warren, his mom extended her generosity to many others, including her sons’ friends.
“I had friends and teammates that looked up to her as a mom and to this day, they’re heartbroken and shocked. They always remember everything she taught them,” he said.
“I’ve had friends and teammates over, they won’t starve. One thing with her, you come to the house, you can’t refuse food. Even if you’re not hungry, she’s going to feed you or give you something to drink.”
Warren said that his mother was a “holistic doctor” and that she had a remedy for virtually any ailment.
He also said that she always found time for her family.
“She had a lot of traditions that she kept, like she would give everybody a Christmas gift at Christmas. She’d bake hundreds of Christmas puddings and send it to England ... all over the place,” he said.
“So it was just fun as a kid growing up, seeing that she had all those traditions; and finding time to be a mom to all of us. She was at all of our games, all of our functions, but there making at least 150-200 Christmas cakes to be sent out.”