Scores of mourners gathered on Friday at the St Andrew Parish Church in Half-Way Tree for the funeral of Melissa Silvera.

Silvera, who was the wife of former People's National Party member of parliament for St Mary Western, Jolyan Silvera, died on November 10.

Initial reports were that she died in her sleep, however the police have since opened a murder investigation into her death. 

Three bullet fragments were found in Silvera's body.

No suspect has been named in her death.

She was 42-years-old.

The service began with a series of tributes from friends who described Silvera as a dedicated mother, who possessed a “fighting spirit”

“She sought to give the children the best of everything she could,” her friend Lacy Wan shared. “She never took her eyes off the goals, the best education…and if she felt that they needed addition to the lessons at school she became the teacher herself.”

Cynthia Silvera, who read the remembrance on behalf of her son, Jolyan, described Melissa as the heartbeat of their family, a force of nature and a nation builder.

“Her relentless pursuit of progress, sometimes misconstrued as overbearing, was in reality a manifestation of her profound love, especially for her country and her family,” she said.

Silvera is survived by three sons and her husband.

- Sashana Small

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