Service of Thanksgiving

Transcription

1 Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Capt. Darwin Leitch Tibbetts 24th September th May 2018 RED BAY CHURCH OF GOD HOLINESS 38 Lord s Way, Selkirk Drive, Grand Cayman Friday, 18th May 2018 Service 2:00 pm OFFICIATING MINISTERS Pastor David Woods Pastor Anna Gracia Smith Joseph Pastor James Arch ORGANIST Nickolas Dacosta

2 Order Of Service Praise And Worship... Red Bay Choir Opening Remarks... Pastor David Woods Hymn... The Old Rugged Cross... Congregation Prayer... Pastor James Arch, Cert. Hon., JP (Ret) Scripture: Psalms Felisiana Ebanks Tributes Children... Denise Tibbetts Siblings... Tricia Bodden Special Song... I Can Only Imagine... Nickolas Dacosta Tributes Grand Children and Great Grand Children... Janelle Tibbetts Care Giver... Michelle Angella Anglin Slide Show Obituary... Denniston Tibbetts Special Song...Somewhere Around God s Throne...Elroy Stewartson Sermon... Pastor Anna Gracia Smith Joseph Hymn...When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder... Congregation Prayer For Family... Pastor James Arch, Cert. Hon., JP (Ret) Closing Remarks and Benediction... Pastor David Woods PALLBEARERS Denniston Tibbetts Garth Tibbetts Hon. D. Kurt Tibbetts, OBE, JP Ricardo Tibbetts Kenton Tibbetts Jr. Jared Tibbetts Capt. Kenton Tibbetts Sr. Charles Tibbetts Leslie Elmer Tibbetts Bentley Leroy Tibbetts Jr., JP Capt. Burnell Banks Alva (Billy) Bodden Ashton Bodden Josh Bodden Royce Dilbert Billy Ebanks Phil Eldermire HONOURARY PALLBEARERS George Eldermire Bruce Eldermire Hinsley Hurlston James Murray Hurlston C.A. Sammy Jackson Andy Martin Leathan Martin Gary Martin Eddy Lee Martin Conrad Martin Herbie Martin Edward Myrie Malcolm Shamal Nixon Edward S Porter Dalmain Reid Melgreen Reid Paul Ritch Anthony Scott Capt. Fred Scott Capt. Henley Scott Lloyd Scott Stanley Scott James Moses Scott Winston Watson George Watson Carlton Watson USHERS Sharlene Brown Verlene Kelly Jan Mclean FUNERAL REGISTRY ATTENDANTS Deirdre Carmola Tessa Suckoo Dad s Sextant (circa 1919)

3 A Celebration Of Life The Life Story Of Darwin L Tibbetts - Master Mariner Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult things we can go through, so much more if it is a parent. No words can express what I and my siblings are feeling right now and only time can help us accept the fact that our Dad has passed on to the heavenly realm. Daddy was a self-made, hard working man and his word was the law in our household when we were growing up. I used to fear him, as I m sure my siblings did, but we never imagined at the time that he was already teaching us one of the most important lessons in life; to stand up for what you believe in and not to allow anyone to tell you otherwise. As we grew older, we slowly understood why he treated us in the way that he did. We thank God for giving him to us for so long and for Daddy teaching us to always stay close as a family. Darwin Leitch Tibbetts was born on 24th September 1928, the second child and first son to Leslie and Anita Tibbetts (nee Bodden). He was preceded in death by his parents, an older sister Linna, our mother Selma and a son (our brother) Dalmain. He had to leave school at an early age to assist his parents in raising his younger siblings. And he had to work alongside his father by farming on the bluff in Cayman Brac to help to provide food for the family s table. He was united in marriage to our mother, Selma Trilby Dilbert and God blessed this union with 5 children - Mexi Ann, Denniston, Garth (Buzza), Dalmain (deceased), and Darwin Kurt. Because all the boys were 2 years apart, family and friends always joked and said that this was a sign that he came home on vacation at the same time of the year. Daddy began his sea career with the Kirkconnells on the MV Kirk C and MV Barretta. Later on, like most men of the day, he joined National Bulk Carriers shipping out of New York. During his tenure with NBC he worked hard, climbing up the ladder eventually achieving his Master Mariners Unlimited Tonnage License and sailed as Captain for the remainder of his sea career. He remained with NBC until his retirement from the sea about 30 years ago. He had sailed the seas for 38 years. He had earned himself the reputation of being one of National Bulk s most trusted Captains, and late in his seafaring career was called upon on several occasions to navigate their vessels safely through the sometimes treacherous waterways of the Orinoco River in Venezuela. When we were still quite young, Daddy moved the entire family to Jamaica as it was crucial to him that all his children have the opportunity to acquire a good education, as unfortunately at the time there were no such opportunities for us in Cayman Brac. Today we are all grateful to Daddy for that decision as it afforded each of us a top class education. After becoming an Officer with NBC he was allowed to have his wife spend 6 months at a time on the ship with him, which he did often, much to Mama s delight. My siblings and I are forever grateful to those of our family and friends who cared for us during those times when Mama was sailing with Daddy. In the early seventies we all eventually moved to Grand Cayman and have been here ever since, except for Mexi Ann who resettled and still resides in Cayman Brac. When Daddy retired from the sea, he and Buzza managed Four Tees Esso service station which we had acquired from Delworth McLaughlin. They ran it for a number of years whereupon we sold it. Daddy then worked at Big Daddy s for a number of years before finally retiring for the last time. Although our father hailed from a Christian upbringing and lived as a God fearing person, it was in later years that he gave his heart to the Lord and practiced his faith as a Christian. He became a member of this Church and was baptized by Pastor Bob many years ago, so we all can be assured that he has gone to be with his God in Heaven and other members of the family who preceded him in death. He attended services regularly until his health prevented him from doing so. We well remember attending Church services with Daddy on Father s Day and other special occasions. As we all grew older, we would come to understand that the most important thing to him was his family and though he may never have said it aloud, we knew instinctively that he was proud of what we had each become and all that we had accomplished. We are truly what we are because we were privileged to have had a father like him. There are so many stories of great things that Daddy has done over the years but time and space does not allow me to talk about them right now. He never asked anyone for help but was a generous man and never sought recognition for anything that he did. When he helped he simply helped. For the past 5 years or so Daddy s health started to deteriorate and when his kidneys began to fail he had to begin

4 the process of dialyzing twice per week. Approximately 3 weeks ago he had to be hospitalized after a fall at home and he remained there until his passing at 6:15 am on Thursday, 10th May. We are all so proud to have called him Daddy, Granddaddy and Great Granddaddy, Brother and Brother-in-law. He showed his strength until the end and I know that for us to become like him is a great task but we each will try to do so. Let us all be happy that he was prepared and has finally gone to meet his Creator. Left to mourn Daddy s passing are: Children: Mexi Ann, - Denniston and wife Pat - Garth (Buzza) and wife Xiomara, Kurt and wife Shirley Ann; Grandchildren: Tanya, Tricia, Natasha, Denise, Garth Ricardo, Christa, Felisiana, Jacynth, Janelle and Jared; 15 great grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild. Brothers Kenton and wife Ivanilda, Charles, Leslie (Elmer) and wife Alma Jane, Sisters Myrna and Levonne; nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends. Special care givers Marcia Gayle and Michelle Anglin. We would like to take this opportunity to say special thanks to the Doctors and nurses of the George Town Hospital (especially Dr Nelson and nurses of the Dialysis Unit ) I m sure Dad appreciated the care and understanding you all gave to him as much as we, his children, did. May God continue to bless you all. We all love and miss you Daddy and you ll forever be in our hearts and minds. May your soul rest in peace, and light perpetual shine down on you. Tribute to Dad Daddy, Captain Darwin Tibbetts was a hardworking, dependable, encouraging and loving father. We were so blessed that he was our Dad. He, like most men in the early fifties, was a seaman. He started with the Kirkconnells and later on with SOUTHWELL the recruiter for National Bulk out of New York. His contract with NBC stipulated that he would have to work a year, or a year and a half, before he could get a vacation. We looked forward to him coming home and cherished the time we had with him. We especially enjoyed the goodies he brought home and the tales he told us about far away places he visited on his voyages. On one of those trips home he even brought Denniston a BB Gun, with that gun Denniston learned to be the best bird shooter of the day. Of course he was never allowed to use it on a Sunday as that was our day of worship; activities of that nature were strictly forbidden on a Sunday. During those trips at home, he took time to spend with us. Sometimes he would take us older children fishing in a small catboat. On one occasion we got so sea sick that he had to bring us ashore, but he never chided us, only laughed and said what poor sailors we were. He also kept up his farming on the bluff. He would leave home before the sun was up, returning home late in the afternoon, bringing provision for our mother to cook throughout the week. When it was mango season he would bring back a huge basket full of ripe, delicious mangoes. He got a thrill out of watching us eat them, each one trying to see which one could eat the most. When he became an Officer and was able to take Mama along with him we sure missed them both. However, we were so fortunate that we had family and friends who cared for us during this period. Our getting a good education was always a priority. He vowed that his sons would not have to earn a living by going to sea and made sure they didn t. Of course, both Denniston and Buzza broke that rule by going, but it was only because they wanted to and not that they had to. He always encouraged us to think positive, and to never give up no matter what circumstances we found ourselves in. He instilled the love of God in us, leading by example. Daddy lived with Buzza at the house in Northward for the past 10 years or so and although we all saw him frequently, Buzza had the honour of being with him every day. During the last few years we attended Church service with him on Father s Day and other special occasions; he was so pleased and proud to introduce us to those who didn t know us. We all knew that he loved us and prayed for us; he told us that when we talked to him, whether in person or on the phone, always ending our conversations with I love you, God bless you. We thank God for giving us such an amazing Dad and was proud to tell people that we were his children. Daddy we love and miss you, but we know that you are in a better place, reunited with your loved ones who went on before you; no need for dialysis, no more pain; you re now perfectly healed. Rest in peace Daddy until we meet again. Your loving children: Mex, Denniston, Buzza and Kurt

5 Tribute To Grand Daddy With so much love, we want to share with everyone what our grandfather, great grandfather, and great great grandfather, more affectionately known as Granddaddy, meant to all of us. We always knew love, as family was so important to Granddaddy. He always showed us so much kindness and we will treasure all of the memories we shared together as they will always remain in our hearts. We are so glad that he got to spend so much time with all of his grandchildren, great grandchildren, and even his one great great granddaughter. No one could deny how precious it is that he lived to see and touch so many generations. Granddaddy was a man of very few words - such a quiet natured and sweet man - but we always knew how much he loved each and every one of us. Whenever we would visit, his eyes always lit up and let us know how glad he was to see us. Though he never used very many words, you can bet they were certainly powerful because they were unfiltered, pure, and true. He spoke with authority and you would never question or challenge him. But of course! He was the captain of the ship (unless mama was in the room). He was a man of strong principle and ethics - a god fearing man of great faith, who instilled these values in his children and the generations to follow. Whenever you asked him how he was doing, no matter how bad a day he was having, he always said, Oh thank the good Lord, I m still here. As these years have rolled by Granddaddy s relationship with God strengthened and we are all truly comforted by this. He often invited his children and grandchildren to church with him before his illness prevented him from attending. We enjoyed going to church with him and seeing how happy he was praising God with a church family he loved so much. He often sang to us, and what a precious moment it always was, whether it was for us to simply listen or to join in and be truly touched by song. We all have so many memories with Granddaddy, some we share together, some our own special moments we get to hold, and some very hilarious moments we dare not share in a public forum. We certainly grew up wondering if anything else ever graced the tv besides wrestling, except maybe Jimmy Swaggart s indoor camp meetings and his game shows. We chuckle at the thought of him sitting on the couch with his shorts and striped shirt, hands propped up on the round belly, sure to talk through the commercials. How cool was it to have a grandfather/great grandfather to tell us of all of his adventures upon the sea? I mean, how cool is it to tell any and everyone that your grandfather/great grandfather was the coolest captain, ever? Granddaddy must have easily told us some of these stories a 100 times, but each time he proudly retold a story he had a twinkle in his eye and a deep pride in his voice. With that, we would feel as if we were hearing it for the first time! As little ones, we ll never forget the way he would tickle us until we couldn t breathe and This Little Piggy was always a winner. We ll never forget all the treats and how he ensured everyone got their equal share, whether it be a stop at Tall Tree, kept secret from our parents, or the flower decorations from a birthday cake, sure to cause a quarrel - boy were we spoilt! Granddaddy lived such a full life, and with that, his love was shared across generations. Though he was older, his great grandchildren and great great grandchild were able to have similar meaningful experiences to his grandchildren. Whether it was listening to the stories of his younger days, marveling at how big granddaddy s nose was, playing in his backyard and picking fruits, engaging in mixed martial arts and showing off grappling techniques (and you know that was absolute entertainment for granddaddy)- they too will cherish the connections shared and the amazing role model he was for all of us. Family, like branches on a tree, we all grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one. Granddaddy will always be a strong root for our family and we hope that we can continue to action Granddaddy s great examples of love, support, and a framework of values within our family. Granddaddy, we all love and miss you so much. Until we meet again, sail in peace.

6 Tribute To Our Brother Our brother Darwin was the second oldest and first born of the boys and always set a good example for us to follow. We often tried to do what ever he did. This often included going fishing and going on the bluff with him to harvest fruits or produce We did these things as children and also as adults. These were very special to us and we enjoyed spending time together. The brothers all went to sea and as a result didn t get to see each other very often. When we did, we got caught up on our various experiences while at sea. Merna and Levonne were more fortunate to be able to see him when he was home on vacations. We all cherished the times we spent together. Our parents brought us up in a Godly home, and we all committed our lives to God and like our brother we have been serving him for many years. Many tmes he would boast that never in his life did he smoke or drink. We all miss him dearly, we believe that his soul and spirit are in heaven and one day we ll all be together again. Until then Dear Brother may your soul rest in peace. Your Loving Siblings Merna, Kenton, Charles, Levonne and Elmer

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8 Service At The Cemetery Creek, Cayman Brac Saturday, May 20, :00 am Commencement Hymn...I Am Thine, O Lord.... Congregation Scripture Reading and Prayer.... Levonne Ryan, JP Special Song...Tears Will Never Stain The Street Of That City... Levonne Ryan, JP Cayman Brac Veterans and Seamans Association 8 Bells For His Final Watch Committal.... Pastor Anna Gracia Smith Joseph Hymn...In The Sweet By And By... Congregation Benediction.. Pastor Anna Gracia Smith Joseph I Am Thine, O Lord, I Have Heard Thy Voice I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice, And it told Thy love to me; But I long to rise in the arms of faith And be closer drawn to Thee. Refrain Draw me nearer, nearer blessèd Lord, To the cross where Thou hast died. Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessèd Lord, To Thy precious, bleeding side. Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord, By the power of grace divine; Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope, And my will be lost in Thine. O the pure delight of a single hour That before Thy throne I spend, When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God I commune as friend with friend! There are depths of love that I cannot know Till I cross the narrow sea; There are heights of joy that I may not reach Till I rest in peace with thee. In The Sweet By And By There s a land that is fairer than day, And by faith we can see it afar; For the Father waits over the way To prepare us a dwelling place there. Refrain In the sweet by and by, We shall meet on that beautiful shore; In the sweet by and by, We shall meet on that beautiful shore. We shall sing on that beautiful shore The melodious songs of the blessed; And our spirits shall sorrow no more, Not a sigh for the blessing of rest. To our bountiful Father above, We will offer our tribute of praise For the glorious gift of His love And the blessings that hallow our days. Acknowledgements The family of the late Darwin Leitch Tibbetts would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the host of families and friends for the support and expressions of condolences and Prayers during this time of bereavement and are truly touched by your love and support. We take this opportunity to extend special thanks to the Doctors and nurses of the Health Services Authority and Special mention of Dr. Nelson and the nurses of the Dialysis Unit. A special thanks to Bodden s Funeral Home. May God Bless You All.