The passing of an Anguillian in Leeds, England, has been announced. She was Mrs. Carmen Kathleen Huggins nee Hodge. Born on June 13, 1932, Carmen was the first of nine children. They were from the union of the late Herbert Alexander Hodge and Mrs. Esther Adessa Hodge nee Gumbs of Little Dix, Anguilla.
The deceased’s siblings are: Rev. Irad Hodge, St. Maarten; Mrs. Elvise Hickson, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; Mr. Vernon Hodge (deceased); Rev. Menes Hodge, Anguilla; the Very Rev. Stafford Hodge, United States; the Venerable Valentine Hodge, Antigua; Mrs. Joycelyn Caine, Leeds, England; and Mr. Reginald Hodge, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
Carmen attained her formative education at the then Valley Girls’ School in Anguilla. She later migrated to St. Kitts where she was employed by a British doctor residing there. In 1956 she joined her husband, Mr. Victor Emmanuel Huggins, who had migrated to the United Kingdom as part of the Windrush generation in 1955. Their union produced five children: Angela (deceased), Tony, Roy, Lorraine and Carol. The loss of her husband and her firstborn were a very hard blow to her, but she was able to take full responsibility for the rest of her family.
An excerpt from the eulogy, delivered by one of her nieces, stated of Carmen: “This phenomenal woman embodied the essence of fearless courage, filled with hope for a life of caring service to her family, her friends, her community and her church (St. Aidan’s). This courage, her share of fortitude, was forged through hard work and the values her parents had instilled in her at an early age back in Anguilla… Auntie demonstrated these values through life in the various ministries of her church. She also manifested these values in her work at the Chapel Allerton Hospital where she worked until her retirement in 1987.”
The eulogy added that Carmen was proud of the fact that four of her six brothers had been ordained Anglican priests – and that her family had produced the most clergymen in Anguilla.
The Anguillian national died on Sunday, July 18, 2021. The writer of the eulogy concluded: “Indeed, she fought a good fight and paid her debt. She ran the course and has kept the faith. She finished the race!”
