If Marie Walker were alive she would have blushed to hear and see the high esteem in which she was held as Anguilla’s Tourism Marketing Director in New York for North America for many years.
The occasion, at which she was extolled, was a celebration of her life and work held on the lawn of the Anguilla Tourist Board on Friday evening, July 26. It was perhaps the most appropriate time for such a remembrance of her as the event was not only during the island’s Marketing Week, when the various overseas representatives were in Anguilla, but when she would have been present as well. Unfortunately, the hearty and larger-than-life Mrs. Marie Walker died unexpectedly on July 10, plunging all of the island’s tourism partners everywhere in mourning.
But, as hard and emotionally-charged, as the situation was, the farewell event was dubbed a celebration of her life and work from which, over the years, Anguilla benefitted much from its promotion as a high-end tourism destination.
Mrs. Donna Banks, Chairperson of the Anguilla Tourist Board, set the tone of the celebratory event. “We are here to celebrate the life and work of Marie Walker who left us very suddenly,” she told the large gathering. “We know that she was one who loved and lived life to its fullest. She wouldn’t want us to spend much time weeping and mourning…but celebrating her life in terms of words, songs and music.” The musicians included Sprocka, Boss & His Horsepower Band and Took & the Boys String Band.
The celebration which included a variety of food and refreshments included greetings and words of comfort from Rev. Wilmoth Hodge. He spoke in both capacities as President of the Anguilla Taxi Association and a Minister of the Methodist Church on the island.
The tribute bearers included representatives from the public and private sectors in Anguilla and members of the overseas marketing team. Among them was Premier Victor Banks who said in part: “Just a few weeks before Marie Walker’s passing we had occasion to receive, for the third year in a row, the award for the ‘Best Island in the Caribbean’. This, in great part, was a result of her efforts in promoting Anguilla. This tourism marketing session, being held now, would have been one of those occasions when she would have been here, along with the other representatives from the world, to put together a marketing plan for Anguilla.”
Mr. Banks was preceded by Mr. Cardigan Connor, Parliamentary Secretary Tourism, who joined all of the other speakers in lamenting the passing of Mrs. Walker and detailing her enormous contribution to Anguilla’s tourism.
Mrs. Walker’s sister, Jacqueline Bickers, spoke on behalf of her family, expressing thanks and appreciation to all for their kind words and stressing Marie’s love for Anguilla. She was presented with a plaque of Anguilla rock inscribed with a photo of Marie and a note of praise for her work. (The plaque will be kept at the office of the Anguilla Tourist Board.)
Following the tributes, the celebration was concluded at Crocus Bay where some 25 sky lanterns were released across the sea in a final tribute to the island’s late tourism promoter.
