New date for Clarke’s funeral

A new date has been set for the funeral of national female footballer, Tarania Clarke, who was stabbed and killed in Half-Way Tree in October.

The former Excelsior High School female football team captain was scheduled to be laid to rest on Sunday, December 15. However, the arrangement was changed and the burial was pushed back seven days to December 22.

Excelsior’s female football coach, Xavier Gilbert, who has been integral in the arrangements, said that the original date was not final, and that the new date will give the family enough time to give Clarke the send-off she deserves.

He said that although it has been tough on the family putting things in place for the committal, they have been very appreciative of the support that they have received thus far from the likes of Cedella Marley and her Reggae Girlz Foundation, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and Excelsior High School, where the service will be held starting at 11 a.m.

Donation drive

Gilbert said that they were especially grateful to the foundation which went on a donation drive to assist the family with funeral expenses.

“The funeral is set. The autopsy was done and we are making arrangements,” Gilbert said. “The Reggae Girlz Foundation is trying to raise some funds to assist with funeral expenses and we want to applaud and commend them for their effort, we hope they continue to support us so we can give Tarania a send-off she would like. I commend the foundation on what they have been doing and I want to just encourage them to continue to donate, because it’s for a worthy cause.”

“The JFF (also) will be assisting, they have been in dialogue with the family, so they have an understanding of how much they will put in. But I hope everyone will continue to support the family, so Tarania can get a proper send-off,” he said.

Clarke, the former Waterhouse captain, recently broke into the senior ranks and was being touted for big things in the future. She was due to take up a scholarship at Daytona College in Florida, United States, in January next year.

However, ‘Plum Plum’ ,as she is commonly called, was stabbed and killed during a dispute with another female in Half-Way Tree, St Andrew, on October 31, throwing the local football fraternity into mourning.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Russelle Foster, a customer service representative of Lockey district in Brandon Hill, St Andrew, has been charged with the murder of the 23-year-old national footballer. Foster was remanded when she appeared in court on November 13 and is due to reappear in court this Monday, December 9.

Tarania Clarke’s interment will be held at Meadowrest.