A large crowd, with a deep sense of loss, but inspired by the virtuous quality of her life and legacy, attended the Service of Thanksgiving and Celebration of the Life of the late Mrs. Janice Ethelda Proctor at St. Mary’s Anglican Church on Saturday, July 7, 2018.
The moving service was followed by her laying to rest at Ebenezer Methodist Church Cemetery, in The Valley, where members of her close-knit and reserved family were accorded much respect and time for themselves.
A peacemaker, a quiet and exemplary young woman, Janice, as she was widely-known by her first name, was born on October 25, 1963. She passed from this life on June 15, 2018, spreading much sorrow across Anguilla.
The first part of the Order of Service included tributes in song by the staff of the National Commercial Bank of Anguilla in recognition of her long and outstanding work in the banking sector; the Men’s Fellowship at the Ebenezer Methodist Church, in which her late father, Mr. Randolph Carty, held membership; the Ebenezer Senior Choir; the Class of 1980 to 1982; and well known singer, Mr. James Harrigan, Janice’s first cousin.
The Formal Remembrance was delivered by Janice’s daughter, Janielle Proctor. She said her mother’s life was essentially focused on two major passions: family and profession in which she resided her faith in God. She spoke about her mother as having been a most loving, caring, devoted and compassionate wife to her father, Mr. Fabian Proctor, both of whom enjoyed almost 27 years of blissful marriage, and complemented each other in their lives. She also told about her mother’s love and devotion for her; her mother’s support for other family members and her bonding love for her in laws.
The well-composed and articulate Janielle recalled that after leaving school her mother was employed briefly as a Cashier and later as a Clerk, with the Government of Anguilla, before entering the banking profession when she joined the staff of Bank of America in 1984. After completing training programmes regionally, and at the University of Wisconsin, she was appointed to a Senior Management position in the Credit Division of the National Bank of Anguilla (later the National Commercial Bank of Anguilla).
Janice remained at that Bank for over 24 years, often making personal sacrifices and placing her core values of honesty, integrity, fairness, respect and accountability in the forefront. She was a model employee who always treated all persons with courtesy and respect, thus attracting commendation from her colleagues and customers of the bank for her professionalism.
After speaking in general about the fine characteristics, and other noble qualities of the life and passion of her mom, Janielle added: “My mother was a wonderful person who was an inspiration to many. She held firm to her belief in God. She left us with pleasant memories that will remain with us for the rest of our lives.”
The meditation was delivered by the Rev. Dr. Wycherley Gumbs, Superintendent of the Anguilla Methodist Circuit. “When I met with the family of Janice, I asked each of them to describe the quality of her life – and each one said she was a peacemaker,” he recalled. “As I thought about that, and looked at her photograph in the booklet for the Order of Service, her smile exudes her personality – a winning smile for her husband and all of us who met her along the way. Such a smile comes from deep in the heart, deep in the soul, and captures even those who happen to be enemies. It is a smile of grace.”
Reflecting on the words of Jesus, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons and daughters of God,’ Rev. Dr. Gumbs continued: “That sounds easy for me to say but to live it is another story. To demonstrate that in a hard and difficult world is a mammoth task, but God’s daughter, departed, indeed understood what it was to be a disciple of Christ – and so she followed that beatitude happily. You are happy and blessed if you and I make peace in the world.”
He spoke at length on the importance of being a peacemaker, giving of oneself, the blessing it provides to the giver, the recipient and the joy and laughter it brings with the beginning of each day. “With every sunrise, it is God’s smile on us saying here is a new day,” the Minister told the congregation. “It is for all of us to take that beginning and make of it the best we can, the best we have, to make the world a better place. ‘Then my living shall not be in vain’. And Janice, being a disciple of Christ, followed that giving of herself to make the world a better place.”
Other officiating Clergy were Methodist Ministers Rev. Joseph Lloyd, Rev. Dunstan Richardson and Anglican Priest, Rev. Menes Hodge.
