Guides bid farewell to former Commissioner

Former Chief Commissioner of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Girl Guide Association Althea Commissiong was laid to rest last Saturday, after a moving funeral mass at the St George’s Cathedral.{{more}}

Commissiong, 69, died suddenly at her home at Cane Garden on May 30.

The tributes paid to Commissiong by members of her family spoke of her loving, self ness nature and her passion for guiding.

Her sister, Jeannette France, a former Chief Commissioner herself, said although she introduced Althea to guiding when she needed assistance with the 1st Kingstown Guide Company, eventually, Althea’s knowledge surpassed that of her “teacher”.

Over the more than 30 years that she spent as part of the movement, Commissiong moved up the ranks from Guider to International Commissioner and ultimately to Chief Commissioner. She was also a local trainer in the movement.

Commissiong’s only child Suzanne, in an emotional tribute, said her mother put everyone, especially her family, before herself. Breaking down several times while speaking, Suzanne, an attorney-at-law, said her mother cherished her family and especially looked forward to family gatherings. Suzanne said her daughter Azaria was very attached to her “gran gran”, as she was the person with whom she spent most of her time. Suzanne said she believes the last five years of her mother’s life, the years she spent caring for Azaria, were her happiest.

The Homily was delivered by Father Ulric Jones, first cousin to Althea’s husband, Samuel Commissiong, a prominent attorney-at-law. Althea’s sister Ingrid Compton paid tribute in the form of the Horatius Bonar poem “On the Threshold”, while Sharon Jones, daughter of Father Ulric Jones, gave a moving rendition of the song “Because he lives”. A tribute was also paid by Kimberley Young-Compton, Althea’s niece, while Althea’s brother Dr. Kenneth Ballantyne delivered the eulogy, which was written in the form a farewell letter from Althea to her relatives and friends.

The Old Testament and New Testament Lessons were read respectively by Sonya Young and Nicole France, Althea’s nieces. Althea’s husband Samuel read the Intercession.

The funeral mass was presided over by several members of the Anglican clergy, including Bishop of the Windward Islands the Right Reverend Calvert Leopold Friday and Dean of the Cathedral the Very Reverend Patrick McIntosh.

Hundreds of Guide Leaders, Rangers, Guides and Brownies turned out to pay homage to their former leader, who also taught English, and was a Counsellor, for many years at the Girls’ High School. The members of the Guide movement formed a guard of honour from the gates of the Cathedral on Grenville Street to the south doors of the church. So many young girls were present, they could not hold inside the church, but had to be accommodated under tents erected on the church grounds.

The funeral service was also attended by a wide cross section of persons, including Commissiong’s cousin, Governor General Sir Frederick Ballantyne, High Court Justices Frederick Bruce-Lyle, Gertel Thom and Monica Joseph, Deputy Prime Minister Girlyn Miguel, Leader of the Opposition Arnhim Eustace and other parliamentarians, and Eloise Gonsalves, wife of the Prime Minister.

In addition to the relatives who played a role in the funeral service, Commissiong is survived by her mother Mary Jackson, sister Myrna Young, and brothers Owen and St Elmo Jackson.

The former guide leader was buried at the Cathedral churchyard, after which members of the Girl Guide movement bid her safely rest with the singing of Taps.