Trailblazing Violet Neilson remembered for dedication, service
Published:Tuesday | July 9, 2024 | 12:10 AMJanet Silvera/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Former House Speaker Violet Neilson was eulogised as a woman whose dedication knew no bounds, one who had an unwavering insistence on discipline and education, during her thanksgiving service on Monday.
Neilson, Jamaica’s first female Speaker of the House of Representatives, was honoured with a state funeral after passing at her home in Somerton, St James, on June 11 at age 92.
Her children Jacqueline Brodber and Vivian McCain noted that in their grief, they were out with other mourners to celebrate a life well lived.
“We stand here today as living proof of her wisdom,” said McCain.
“Though tears may fall, let there be tears of joy,” he told the gathering, lauding his mom for her role as their personal coach.
“We had the privilege on knowing a remarkable woman,” he stated, to an intimate audience, which included Homer Davis, minister of state in the Office of the Prime Minister, who represented Prime Minister Andrew Holness, and Senator Janice Allen, who read a Bible passage on behalf of Opposition Leader Mark Golding.
“Mommy left behind a legacy that deeply impacted her family and friends, her community and her nation. She spoke the truth even when it was hard to hear,” McCain added.
Brodber, who broke down more than once during her tribute, held back the tears long enough to say this was the hardest thing she has ever had to do in her life.
“June 11, 2024 will always be a day that bring tears to my eyes for the rest of my life,” she said.
“My mother, my world, my queen walked off into her sunset. Nothing prepares a child for the loss of a mother,” Brodber continued, reliving the pain she went through when she found out her mom had passed.
LAUGHING AMID PAIN
Acknowledging she just wasn’t prepared to let go, even though she accepts that death is inevitable, she said she chooses to laugh even though her heart is broken.
Brodber then shared how strict the disciplinarian Neilson was and how many times she received a whopping for appearing at school late.
A former principal at Dumfries Primary, Brodber brought some laughter to the funeral when she spoke affectionately about how her mother insisted on her living a normal life and she had to walk to school with the other children in her community.
“And [she] would remind me, ‘You a teacher pickney; you cyaan late’. But stubborn Jacqui chose to play all the games along the road, delaying my arrival, and mom would slow down in her car, make eye contact with me and drove on to school to await my arrival.”
She would end up in the special line for late arrivals and would pay for it through the belt.
“I would receive a solid whopping with the others.”
Neilson’s grandchildren, Shevone Bulgin and AnnaKaye Brodber, said their heroine led by example and made an indelible mark in their lives. She was more than just ‘Grandma’, she was their confidante, their protector, their friend, they said.
Neilson’s death was described as a unique sense of personal loss for former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, who read his remembrance electronically. The two shared a very close relationship, having shared a lifelong journey as pupils in elementary school in Somerton, St James.
“From humble beginnings, Violet would embark on a journey that would touch countless lives and help shape the course of Jamaica’s history,” he stated.
He spoke about her passion for education, which he said was evidenced by her nearly two decades in the profession.
“For 19 years, she nurtured young minds at Somerton Primary and as principal at Dumfries Primary.
“Her commitment to education was unwavering, instilling in her students the value of hard work, integrity, and compassion. Nothing would inhibit her determination to fulfil her potential to give the strongest foundation during the early phase of learning,” said Patterson.
She achieved gold standards in education and she brought that same zest to the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), the 4-H Clubs, and her political life when she became member of parliament for East Central St James in 1989, representing the People’s National Party.
She was a woman of many firsts, including one of the first female presidents of the St James branch of the JAS.
“She was ready to serve wherever she was required and performed with such efficiency,” Patterson noted.