Five hundred or more persons from throughout Anguilla crowded the Central Baptist Church at Rey Hill for a Service of Thanksgiving, and Pedro’s Restaurant at George Hill, for a reception afterwards, in celebration of the 80th birthday of Mrs. Octavia Elodia Lake on Sunday, November 3.
The milling crowd came from the rank and file of the public and private sectors – a testament to the high esteem in which Mrs. Lake and her family are held by all and sundry in Anguilla. Of particular note, not only was there a large representation of the older members of the Anguillian community, many of whom have been well-known peers and long admirers of the honouree, but scores of young people including family members and surrogates whom Mrs. Lake mothered and guided over the years. All of them turned out in their numbers in love and gratitude for her leadership, commitment and dedication.
Mrs. Lake, otherwise known from early life as “Dedell”, is the wife of the well-respected and leading Anguillian businessman,Mr. Albert A. R. Lake OBE, regarded as the father of local business and one of the largest real estate owners on the island. Over the sixty-two plus years of her marriage she has worked relentlessly with him to develop the family’s merchandise business which today accounts for a sizeable portion of Anguilla’s commerce and industry.
Her biography, aptly captured in the brochure for the Thanksgiving Service, and read by Valerie Hodge, one of her nieces, traced her life growing up in the Anguillian peasantry of the 1930’s. It was a period in the island’s history when life was hard and the economy comprised mainly subsistence farming, animal husbandry and fishing. The economy was also based on remittances from members of the male population who were forced to travel abroad in search of a living and to support their households, having left the women behind to care for the family.
An excerpt from the biography, referring to Dedell’s union with Mr. Lake, stated that it “produced seven biological children: Countess (Lorraine), Melodee (Salome),Gwendolyn (deceased), Remington (Bummy), Applewaite (Rayme), Susan (Susie) and Trevor. However, the Lake’s clan also included Marcia, Rosemary, Marquez and Darcy (Lake’s biological children), Humphrey, Carlie, Ambrose, Caroll, Paul, Albert, Joe, Ian, Gilles, Natasha, Merlese, Neil, Indrean, Yeahlease and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. How she managed over these many years with so many children and surrogates is mind-boggling but they are all proud to call her ‘Mother’ or ‘Mom’ with much gratitude…”
The biography continued: “Albert and Dedell have been truly blessed. They have received much and in turn have given back much to the community. As the business grew, the Lakes were in a better position to hire domestic help. This gave Mrs. Lake the ability to play a more active role in the management of the business alongside her husband. For many years she served as the main cashier, floor manager, purchasing manager and to some extent accountant. Yet, she never lost sight of the fact that her family was priority number one, and ensured that they were brought up with good discipline, sound character and the fear of the Lord. Church and Sunday School were a must…
“She is a firm believer in family and friends, and has reached out in numerous ways to the family on her mother’s side and on her husband’s side over these many, many years and we can all say we have been truly blessed to be part of her life. A heartfelt thank you is expressed on behalf of the extended family. Her many, many friends are dear to her and continue to hold a special place in her heart. She has a deep and unwavering respect for her husband and continues to cherish the love shown to her by her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, loved ones and associates.”
In delivering the sermon, based on the fear of the Lord and praise for women of high repute, Pastor Cecil Richardson of the Central Baptist Church, where Mrs. Lake holds membership, described her as “a giant of woman”. He referred in part to her tireless work for the spiritual growth of the congregation, her family and friends everywhere. “She is a true and honest lady who fears her God,” he told the large assembly of persons who turned up at the service to celebrate and praise her in song, poetry, flowers presentation and other acts of commendation.
“It is the right thing to do, and I think one of the things that we in Anguilla need to do is to praise more and criticise less,” the Pastor observed. “We spend so much time criticising each other, and so little time seeing the good that others have done and are doing. We should praise a woman [like Mrs. Lake] who fears God because it honours God. We should praise a woman who fears the Lord because it will strengthen her hand in the Lord to do more for Him and for others.”
Mrs. Lake’s family issued the following general statement in the brochure for the Service of Thanksgiving: “We are most thankful to God for allowing us to see and be part of this momentous occasion. We also thank you all for taking the time to be here with us today. We thank you for taking the time to show that you care. We thank you all for taking the time to make this day so special. It is our hope and prayer that our loved one will be here to celebrate with us many more years to come. May God bless you all.”
The crowed swelled to an even bigger one at the reception at Pedro’s Restaurant where a number of persons joined in further expressing words of commendation, gratiude and best wishes to Mrs Lake and family.
