On the morning of Wednesday, January 3rd, 2024, all and sundry turned out at the Pro-Cathedral of St. Mary to pay their last respects to the late Leith Errington Eric Reid, OBE, who had served for many years as a devoted Member of Parliament in Anguilla.
On Wednesday, December 27th, 2023, a moment of silence was observed in the House of Assembly, and flags were flown at half mast during the funeral service.
Mr. Reid, who was confined to his home for several years, died on December 21st, 2023 at the age of 79. He was elected to Government in 1984 as the District Representative for the Valley North constituency and served for over two decades.
At the service, selected scriptures were read by his relatives, Yanis Reid and Briana Reid. Several prayers were offered, and the Eucharist was led by Bishop Errol Brooks. Canon Reid Simon, who preached the sermon, described Mr. Reid as a man who identified well with his worship duties.
“We gather today as a community of faith, especially, but also as a small-island developing state to give God thanks for the life, work and witness of a ‘son of the soil,'” Canon Reid noted.
“When I began my ministry in Anguilla in 2021,” he continued, “one of the persons that I had to visit was Eric Reid. As I encountered him during my visits in the capacity of his priest and pastor, I observed that he was very much in tuned with sharing the worship.”
In relating his pastoral connection with Mr. Reid, Canon Simon reflected: “Of course, life has its way of taking its toll on us, especially physically,” he mused. “And I watched him deteriorate over time, realizing that his hearing was becoming hard. Certainly, his responses had become less and less pronounced, so I had to make my voice louder in order to get my messages across to him.”
“About three weeks ago,” he said, “I went to make my customary Tuesday morning visit and discovered that he was asleep. I told Mrs. Reid that we could not wake him up. She responded by saying that, in fact, he did not had an easy night. So I simply prayed for him, blessed him, and left him. I did not realize that it would be the last time I would see him alive.”
Canon Simon then commented on Mr. Reid’s devout involvement in the history of St. Mary’s parish: “He gave of his time and his talents,” he recollected, “leading the service and serving on the Vestries. He was a part of various activities to establish God’s kingdom in this place.”
Several present and past Members of Parliament attended the funeral service. These included Government officials, members of the Opposition, as well as some aspiring politicians. Of note was Mr. Reid’s successor, former Valley North Representative, Evan McNeil Rogers, who had travelled from the US just to attend the service.
Mr. Rogers commented: “Mr. Eric Reid was a gentle giant and a man of few words. Remarkably, he was a determined, committed Anguillan who had truly put country above and before self. He was an exemplary Anguillian patriot whose word was his bond.”
“In particular,” he said, “I will be forever grateful to Mr. Reid for his wholehearted endorsement of my candidacy as his replacement as Representative for the people of the Valley North Constituency in 2004. Since then, his unequivocal and continued support throughout my political journey has been a source of strength for me.”
“I am indeed grateful for Mr. Reid’s advice on number of issues and his encouragement to me when I was a new candidate in the political arena. His admonition back then still echoes in my mind, when he told me: ‘I can’t win the seat for you because I tried several times before and I was successful at winning it for myself. Now, it is your turn to try. So get out there and work as hard as you can to win. And, never take anything for granted – never put anything beyond a human being.’ We have lost a stalwart of true patriotism. May his soul rest in peace,” Mr. Rogers said.
In an official statement, the Honourable Premier, Dr. Ellis Webster, said in part: “Mr. Reid was an honourable member of the Anguilla House of Assembly, who served the people of Anguilla and, more specifically, the Valley North constituency, from his election to office in 1984 until his retirement from active politics in 2005.
“Mr. Reid had a distinguished political career where he held his seat for five consecutive terms – a tenure guided by duty and public service. We trust that the positive aspects of Mr. Reid’s legacy will be maintained and built upon for this and future generations,” Premier Webster stated.
The final hymn, “Forever with the Lord” was sung as the recessional, signaling the end of the service. The casket containing Mr. Reid’s remains was borne down the steps of the Pro Cathedral, and interment took place in the church yard cemetery.
