With a fitting mix of pomp and ceremony, grief and rejoicing, Anguilla said farewell to an honoured daughter, Mrs. Florel Octavia Harrigan, affectionately known to all as “Sweetie”, in a National Funeral on Saturday April 29th 2017, at the HillTop Baptist Church, Island Harbour. The funeral followed two days when flags were flown at half-mast as a mark of respect, and a Tribute Service and Viewing at the Church on Friday evening, when large crowds of family members and friends gathered and delivered tributes in song and word. Following that service, her body was returned to Two Sons Funeral Home under police escort.
On the morning of the funeral, her flag-draped casket was taken briefly to her home before being taken up the slight incline a few hundred yards away to the church – accompanied by Pallbearers from the Royal Anguilla Police Force and the Royal Anguilla Police Force Band. Onlookers remarked on how appropriate that was, as she had faithfully walked that same short route from her home to the Church practically every time its doors were opened over the past 45 years. On this occasion, the Church and parking lot were filled to capacity by a large crowd of family, friends, Government Officials, the Police Guard of Honour, and the Police Band.
The Formal Remembrance was delivered by Shellya Rogers, followed by a Governmental Address delivered by the Honourable Chief Minister, Victor Banks, in which he praised her for her loving and caring nature – and her national service for which she had been awarded the Badge of Honour and Queen’s Certificate for her part in the Anguilla Revolution. The National Anthem and National Song were played by the Police Band, and the Opening Prayer delivered by Pastor Cecil Richardson. Scripture Readings were done by Zaralina Reid and Parlona Webster-Reece, Special Words by Sister Patricia Adams, and Special Songs by Sandra Liddie, and Rebecca Webster, Darwin Mussington and Oralyn Reid. Apostle Rosmund Romney of St. Martin delivered Words of Comfort and Pastor Gareth Hodge delivered the Homily.
Family members who had, of late, gathered on Friday evenings to worship with Mrs. Harrigan, sang her favourite song “Coming Soon”, and Minister Cephas Webster delivered the Closing Prayer and Benediction. The Police Band played the Recessional, and the cortege proceeded to the Sandy Hill Cemetery where a Guard of Honour and uniformed Pallbearers bore the casket to her final resting place. The National Song was played, a 21 Gun Salute was given, and the flag was folded and delivered to Winnifred Harrigan, daughter of the deceased.
Florel died on April 14, 2017 at the age of 89. Affectionately known to her family and across the island as Sweetie, she was born in Island Harbour on December 7, 1927 to a family of eight children, 2 boys (including Revolutionary Leader James Ronald Webster) and 6 girls. The Revolutionary Heroine was also a Woman of Faith, a stalwart pillar of the HillTop Baptist Church, and played a vital role in that church’s evangelization efforts for over 45 years. She is survived by six children: Roland, Paul (Freddie), Winifred, Eversley (Dubah), Lucy and Vanier, grandchildren and great grandchildren, her only remaining sibling, Olive Hodge, and many other relatives and friends. Sweetie was a vibrant soul, a loving personality, and her send-off was well-deserved and flawlessly executed by all involved. May her soul rest in peace!
