‘A beacon of inspiration to all who worked with him’

WESTERN BUREAU:

A man of impeccable character and a giant who gave sterling service to the parish of St James was how the late former Custos Ewen George Corrodus was eulogised during his funeral on Sunday.

Governor General Sir Patrick Allen paid tribute to the man he tagged “a prince of St James”, while former Prime Minister Bruce Golding said he came to Montego Bay to celebrate the life of the businessman, “not to bury him”.

Among the mourners who turned out in large numbers at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, paying tribute to the man who gave his life to building the dominance of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church (SDA) throughout the parish, were Prime Minister Andrew Holness and National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang.

“Custos Corrodus had a contagious passion for God, for his family, his church, his business, and friends, St James, the justices of the peace of St James, and Jamaica as a whole. He was a Prince of St James in a world where leadership is often misunderstood and undervalued,” Sir Patrick said in a stirring tribute.

“He was a shining beacon of inspiration to all those who had the fortune of knowing and working with him. As a trusted confidant to me, he demonstrated exceptional skills, dedication, and foresight, qualities that earned him the respect and admiration of all those who knew him,” he added.

Corrodus served as first citizen of the parish for nine years before turning over the reins to current Custos Bishop Conrad Pitkin, who spoke of the rich legacy left behind by his predecessor, a devoted family man.

For Pitkin, Jamaica lost another patriot, who had completed his mortal mission with honour.

So well-respected and revered was the Corrodus that his thanksgiving service was officiated by five Adventist ministers, led by president of the West Jamaica Conference’s Pastor Glen O. Samuels.

Golding noted that the many lives Corrodus touched, those memories can’t be buried as no casket is big enough.

He added:“God’s angels are busy planning his coronation service”.

Having played such a critical role in the construction and maintenance of many churches in the region, it is understandable that the angels would be rejoicing, and when Corrodus’ friend, Dr Keith Wedderburn, and Ironshore SDA First Elder Dr Courtney Watson spoke, this became even more obvious.

They spoke of a man who was committed to community development and one who gave his hard-earned cash in efforts to build the presence of the church.

Justice of the Peace Claudette Bryan proved why he received so much love from the people of St James.

“Custos Corrodus exemplified grace, humility, charm, professionalism and class. His work with and for the Lay Magistrates Association is unforgettable. We were trained, motivated, and encouraged to give the highest level of service, maintaining integrity and truth,” she said in her remembrance.

But it was Chang who went deeply into the life of the man who served as an early director of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, describing him as a sincere business and community leader.

“I have had the privilege of working with Mr Corrodus for the last 30 years. He served the entire community as a community leader. He was a pioneer, who developed and managed a hardware store, Better Homes Hardware, that was true to its name,” said Chang.

According to Chang, who is also the member of parliament for St James North Western, Corrodus served with distinction during his time as custos. He established a physical office for the custos out of his own resources, raising the bar for serving custodes, and was accessible to everyone – “a true community leader who was seen right across St James”.

Corrodus, who had two sons and a daughter, died on February 20, two days after his 81st birthday, leaving his wife of over 40 years, Daphne.

Eulogising his father, Dean Corrodus that the man fondly known as ‘Patrick’ taught them living his lessons. He ate the food he sowed, and practised the policy of ‘love thy neighbour’ by sharing harvest from crops he planted with the congregants at his church, something he did up to his last days.

Dean reminisced on the astute businessman his dad was, stating that when he started the hardware business, they all had to wake up at 4:00 in the morning to help prepare his car so he could carry the goods he was purchasing in the back of the vehicle.

They had the best of both worlds and they were at the front row experiencing this man of integrity, who would not compromise on standards, said Dean.

“I saw the meaning of integrity without reading it in a directory,” he added.

Corrodus’ best friend, Classford Woolery, had to be assisted with his eulogy and the pain of losing a confidant was obvious.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com