With milling throngs of people from all walks of life at the Service of Thanksgiving for gunshot victim, James Leroy Vanterpool, 52, at The Pro-Cathedral of St. Mary on Saturday, January 25, 2020, the Rt. Rev. Errol Brooks led the grief-stricken congregation in a prayerful admonition.
Rather than being consumed by anguish and anger, he advised his listeners to pray for the family of the victim, the family of those who committed the crime, as well as the persons themselves who were involved in shooting and killing the patriotic businessman – outside his family’s premises – in Welches Village on January 5.
Assisted during the service by Rev. Fr. Raliville Christian, Bishop Brooks addressed the congregation in part: “Our hearts go out to our sister, Helena Vanterpool (Leroy’s mother), his children, his siblings and other members of his family. We pray that God will give them strength and comfort in this hour and in the days ahead.
“We also pray for the families of those who were involved in the slaying of Leroy…We pray for those who committed this awful crime that, through the power of God’s Holy Spirit, they may come to acknowledge the futility of their action; the hurt and anguish which they have caused; that they would seek God’s forgiveness and consolation. The God, my brothers and sisters, whom we worship, is a God of consolation. There are many who can testify to that fact. At one time, they were bent on the road to destruction but, through the transforming power of God, their lives have been [changed] and today they are agents of the Kingdom of God, making positive contributions to society.”
Among others in the Bible, he mentioned the Apostle Paul who, in one phase of his life, persecuted and killed Christians until he was struck down by God and became “a great globe-trotter for the spread of the Christian Gospel.”
The Bishop continued: “Someone remarked to me, in the aftermath of Leroy’s tragic death, that ‘many of our parents are not giving their children the spiritual foundation to help them to really understand what is right from wrong. They do not bring them to church; they do not send them to Sunday school and, when crimes are committed, when problems arise, the question is asked: what the church is doing?” He stressed that all persons had a responsibility to give children, and other young people, the foundation they needed in life.
The Service of Thanksgiving was preceded by a period of tributes conducted by Mrs. Evalie Bradley, a friend of the Vanterpool family. The tribute bearers included various individuals and groups from across Anguilla as well as from outside the island – including St. Maarten.
Vanterpool’s body was laid to rest at the Sandy Hill Cemetery.
Known for his patriotism, business interests and philanthropy, the late Leroy was a member of a large and well-known family, steeped in the traditional life and culture of Anguilla. For the most part, they remained calm and well-poised during the funeral, demonstrating characteristics of resilience and fortitude which the entire family is known to possess.
