Eulogy of the Late Linnett Davis
1928-2005
Linnett Davis was born on the 26th of December 1928 in the parish of St Catherine. She was the fifth of six children born to Maud Loton and Herbert Knight. She attended the Spanish Town Roman Catholic Church and School as well the Jericho All Age School in Linstead, St. Catherine.
During her early years Linett lived with her grandmother Aunt Jane. When Aunt Jane passed away Linett was just a teenager. She then went to live with her older brother Prince who later died. She was 25 years old at the time. It was then she met and fell in love with Zachariah Davis. They got married and settled at Johnson Pen in Spanish Town, St. Catherine. She was well known and loved in the community and pretty soon people were calling her Mama Lenee or Miss Lenee. The union with Zacharia bore five children – daughters Blossom, Cherrie, Jackie, Moah, and son Jabba.
Mama Lenee was hard working and found no task too menial to provide for her family and make them comfortable. She reared pigs and chicken along with other things that she would take to the market.
But she had a special love for Art and mastered the craft of pottery. It was her pride and joy. So diligent was she in her pottery work that she became a five star ceramic Art Potter. Consequently she joined Things Jamaica Limited in Kingston attending yearly exhibitions held at Devon House in Kingston and Denbigh in Clarendon to demonstrate and showcase her handy work. It was not just a job, it was her life. It was a beauty to watch her hands shape the clay, molding it to perfection. You would know when it was time to burn the pots as she would call her grandchildren to accompany her to get wood for the fire. It is something that they remember now with laughter and pride. I still can see her packing the pots and ensuring that enough wood was in the fire, perspiration all over her but she never flinched. After they have been burnt she would inspect them one by one to make sure that they were perfect. She would hate to think that someone got a faulty pot.
On the personal side she was a fun person. Miss Lenee was always cracking jokes and telling old time stories. She had a gift where story telling was concerned. To hear her tell a joke or story was like watching drama unfold and at the end of it you simply had to believe it really happened. For her children, grandchildren, and all who were close to her these will be memories to recount.
Mama Lenee was like a mother in the community. And I have no doubt that some of you paying tribute to her life her today called her Mother Lenee. That motherly love ran far and wide as whilst she did not possess riches she was always willing to help, to offer advice or to just listen. And I must add that you could only guess that so and so came to borrow money or to ask her something as she would never tell. Mama Lenee would also take care of the sick when and where possible. She also acted as the community midwife delivering several babies one of whom was Andrew who took her on her final journey to the hospital.
She was also a disciplinarian who sought to instill positive values and attitudes in all who came in contact with her especially her children and grandchildren. She would always be warning that “manners will take you a far way!”
Mama Lenee was a humble woman yet she loved the finer things in life. As we approach the Christmas season we cannot forget how much she would ensure that everyone in the house felt special and loved. Of course we also cannot forget that she reared ducks and the prized duck would be cooked for Christmas dinner and she ensured everyone got a piece of her duck.
As she grew older she developed a closer relationship with God. She became a member of the Phillipo Baptist Church where she was also a member of the Church Federation.
Earlier this year in October Mama Lenee fell ill. Prior to that she kept very good health. No more than the common cold or a pain in the knee. She never recovered and visits to the doctor would only bring temporary relief. On November 18, 2005 Linnette Davis had a visit from God. He said, “Your work is done, you must say goodbye; it is time to go my child.” And in the words of Farewell by Emily Dickenson I am sure she said to the Lord:
Tie the strings to my life, my Lord,Then I am ready to go!Just a look at the horses --Rapid! That will do!Put me in on the firmest side,So I shall never fall;For we must ride to the Judgment,And it's partly down hill.But never I mind the bridges,And never I mind the sea;Held fast in everlasting raceBy my own choice and thee.Good-by to the life I used to live,And the world I used to know;And kiss the hills for me, just once;Now I am ready to go!
And so we remember her goodness, her love, her devotion to family, to community and country. We will grieve because she was the world to us. But of course we hope that in time we will be able to dry our tears and replace the tears and the sadness with laughter. For someone will remember a story she told, that scared us so bad, or a joke that made us laugh and laugh and laugh. We will always remember her smile and her hearty laughs; and in our hearts we will pray that we can be at least half as wonderful as Mama Lenee was.
She is sadly missed by daughters Blossom USA, Cherrie USA, Jackie. Moah, and son Jabba. Grand daughters Suzette, Debbie, Keisha, Yanique, Tashique, Monique, Olivia, Shanique, Brianna, and Brittney. Grandsons Richard, Gregory, Ziggy, and Sheldon; eight great grand children; and other relatives and friends.
1928-2005
Linnett Davis was born on the 26th of December 1928 in the parish of St Catherine. She was the fifth of six children born to Maud Loton and Herbert Knight. She attended the Spanish Town Roman Catholic Church and School as well the Jericho All Age School in Linstead, St. Catherine.
During her early years Linett lived with her grandmother Aunt Jane. When Aunt Jane passed away Linett was just a teenager. She then went to live with her older brother Prince who later died. She was 25 years old at the time. It was then she met and fell in love with Zachariah Davis. They got married and settled at Johnson Pen in Spanish Town, St. Catherine. She was well known and loved in the community and pretty soon people were calling her Mama Lenee or Miss Lenee. The union with Zacharia bore five children – daughters Blossom, Cherrie, Jackie, Moah, and son Jabba.
Mama Lenee was hard working and found no task too menial to provide for her family and make them comfortable. She reared pigs and chicken along with other things that she would take to the market.
But she had a special love for Art and mastered the craft of pottery. It was her pride and joy. So diligent was she in her pottery work that she became a five star ceramic Art Potter. Consequently she joined Things Jamaica Limited in Kingston attending yearly exhibitions held at Devon House in Kingston and Denbigh in Clarendon to demonstrate and showcase her handy work. It was not just a job, it was her life. It was a beauty to watch her hands shape the clay, molding it to perfection. You would know when it was time to burn the pots as she would call her grandchildren to accompany her to get wood for the fire. It is something that they remember now with laughter and pride. I still can see her packing the pots and ensuring that enough wood was in the fire, perspiration all over her but she never flinched. After they have been burnt she would inspect them one by one to make sure that they were perfect. She would hate to think that someone got a faulty pot.
On the personal side she was a fun person. Miss Lenee was always cracking jokes and telling old time stories. She had a gift where story telling was concerned. To hear her tell a joke or story was like watching drama unfold and at the end of it you simply had to believe it really happened. For her children, grandchildren, and all who were close to her these will be memories to recount.
Mama Lenee was like a mother in the community. And I have no doubt that some of you paying tribute to her life her today called her Mother Lenee. That motherly love ran far and wide as whilst she did not possess riches she was always willing to help, to offer advice or to just listen. And I must add that you could only guess that so and so came to borrow money or to ask her something as she would never tell. Mama Lenee would also take care of the sick when and where possible. She also acted as the community midwife delivering several babies one of whom was Andrew who took her on her final journey to the hospital.
She was also a disciplinarian who sought to instill positive values and attitudes in all who came in contact with her especially her children and grandchildren. She would always be warning that “manners will take you a far way!”
Mama Lenee was a humble woman yet she loved the finer things in life. As we approach the Christmas season we cannot forget how much she would ensure that everyone in the house felt special and loved. Of course we also cannot forget that she reared ducks and the prized duck would be cooked for Christmas dinner and she ensured everyone got a piece of her duck.
As she grew older she developed a closer relationship with God. She became a member of the Phillipo Baptist Church where she was also a member of the Church Federation.
Earlier this year in October Mama Lenee fell ill. Prior to that she kept very good health. No more than the common cold or a pain in the knee. She never recovered and visits to the doctor would only bring temporary relief. On November 18, 2005 Linnette Davis had a visit from God. He said, “Your work is done, you must say goodbye; it is time to go my child.” And in the words of Farewell by Emily Dickenson I am sure she said to the Lord:
Tie the strings to my life, my Lord,Then I am ready to go!Just a look at the horses --Rapid! That will do!Put me in on the firmest side,So I shall never fall;For we must ride to the Judgment,And it's partly down hill.But never I mind the bridges,And never I mind the sea;Held fast in everlasting raceBy my own choice and thee.Good-by to the life I used to live,And the world I used to know;And kiss the hills for me, just once;Now I am ready to go!
And so we remember her goodness, her love, her devotion to family, to community and country. We will grieve because she was the world to us. But of course we hope that in time we will be able to dry our tears and replace the tears and the sadness with laughter. For someone will remember a story she told, that scared us so bad, or a joke that made us laugh and laugh and laugh. We will always remember her smile and her hearty laughs; and in our hearts we will pray that we can be at least half as wonderful as Mama Lenee was.
She is sadly missed by daughters Blossom USA, Cherrie USA, Jackie. Moah, and son Jabba. Grand daughters Suzette, Debbie, Keisha, Yanique, Tashique, Monique, Olivia, Shanique, Brianna, and Brittney. Grandsons Richard, Gregory, Ziggy, and Sheldon; eight great grand children; and other relatives and friends.
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