The VIPA Board approved more funding for the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport paving project at its Thursday meeting. (Photo courtesy VIPA)
Infrastructure upkeep at marine and air terminals was the focus of the Port Authority Board of Governors at its monthly meeting on Thursday. Board members also took a step to expand the range of vendors competing for transportation-related opportunities.
The U.S. Department of Transportation promotes the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program (DBE) as a way to offset discrimination in commerce against businesses challenged to compete with larger companies for DOT-related contracts.
Board members also authorized Executive Director Carlton Dowe to expand the runway apron paving project at St. Croix’s Henry E. Rohlsen Airport and to upgrade fenders used to protect marine facilities from the impact of berthing vessels.
In July 2023, the board authorized an agreement with Virgin Islands Paving, Inc. to rehabilitate and repave the runway aprons on St. Croix. VIPA Engineering Director Preston Beyer said the agency became aware of available funding through the Federal Aviation Administration for the paving project. The estimated cost so far is pegged at $14.6 million.
Now, Beyer said, the authority wants to pursue an additional $2 million to repave a section of runway apron not included in the original scope of work. Board members granted the authorization for Dowe to furnish its contractor with additional funds.
The board also approved a contract for Stefferson Marine and Construction to upgrade the dock fenders at VIPA marine ports on St. Thomas and St. John at a cost not to exceed $234,449.94.
There was also approval to extend an existing contract with ANOVA Solutions which will allow the agency to keep its Microsoft licenses along with its Microsoft Software Solutions program. The current contract expires June 30, said VIPA Procurement and Contracts Manager Kate Davis. Extending the contract by one year is a better idea than opening the bid process for a new three-year deal right now, she said.
Approval was granted at an estimated cost of $150,000.
St. Croix’s Midre Cummings Playground in all its splendor. (Source photo by Elisa McKay)Over two months have passed since the Linda Garvin Bench Dedication in the Midre Cummings Playground in Frederiksted, and the community is still feeling the positive effects of the woman who got folks started at the very beginning of the project. Garvin planted a seed in the hearts and minds of her community and her legacy continues to grow and bloom.Her mantra is the language one speaks, the sounds one hears, the sights one sees: “Let The Children Play!”Sign language at the park entrance invites children to communicate and play with each other. (Source photo by Elisa McKay)The sprinkling of rain did not dampen the spirits of the community members who waited patiently for the playground to open. It was the morning of Saturday, April 27… Bench Dedication Day. Home Depot employees were on the spot, working to ensure the bench was solid in its permanency.A welcoming Moko Jumbie at the entrance of the Midre Cummings Playground. (Source photo by Elisa McKay)Ted Bedwell took the mic and later passed it to Chris Henderson, both owners of Sandcastle on the Beach Hotel, and both friends of Garvin. Their thoughts and words were similar.“Linda was the most gracious and caring person one would ever meet. She always put everyone first and her community first,” Bedwell said.“When people come and sit on this beautiful bench, I hope they take a moment to leave life’s problems behind and enjoy the laughter and the celebration the children will be having as they’re taking advantage of this beautiful property,” Bedwell added.The playground includes a climbing wall and tree house. (Source photo by Elisa McKay)Henderson invited the group, “Please come and sit and relax and see the beauty and the elegance and enjoy the future lives it’s embracing in the children of this community.”“This bench and this park is what we felt was appropriate for what Linda stood for…community support and friendship support. She embodied that word…support,” Henderson said. Garvin’s former high school theater students, Betsy Marsala and Anthony Jackson, played a major role in the bench dedication.Anthony Jackson, Betsy Marsala, and Bill Boyton with community members. (Source photo by Elisa McKay)Marsala spoke about creating a physical manifestation “of what Linda left in all of us.” There was the bench dedication in the lobby of the Fine Arts Theater Department in Cave Creek, Arizona to serve as a reminder of Linda’s dedication to the theater and to the students. “Of all of the community projects she was involved in all of her life, this is the one that filled her with the most pride. It was visible … the choked-up feeling of the deep joy Linda felt when she saw children playing with their parents here at the playground,“ Marsala shared.Damion Sanders took a breather from grocery shopping at the request of his children, five-year-old Hanako at left and seven-year-old Hiro at right. (Source photo by Elisa McKay)Damion Sanders teaches his five-year-old Hanako to play “Old MacDonald Had A Farm” on the xylophone. (Source photo by Elisa McKay)“The impact Ms. Garvin had on everyone was the underlying factor. It took a community to build this park. We wanted the bench dedication to be true to that with 90 individual donations — a far-reaching support from so many people she had known throughout her life,” Jackson spoke to the kindred crowd.Midre Cummings Playground with donors names printed on the fence. (Source photo by Elisa McKay)“Ms. Garvin shared the importance of play, support and authenticity. I’m looking at this bench and I can’t help but see those things in this bench. Like Chris said, ‘A bench is literally providing support. You can sit on it.’ It’s authentically a part of the community, which was so important to Linda, and it’s in a playground. I’m so grateful for everyone coming out and for all the support. What a wonderful event,” Jackson continued.Garvin’s stepdaughter Joy Gradin said she searched for what she finally came up with: The Linda Affect. “She affected so many things – let’s go to the library, to the museum, the beach, let’s go to the Botanical Gardens, or a Matter of Balance.” She had this ability to affect, Gradin mused. Seated: Chris Richardson, Claire Roker, and Ted Bedwell. Standing are Betsy Marsala, Bill Boyton, Anthony Jackson, and Joy Gradin (Source photo by Elisa McKay)“It was an invitation. She invited you to join her. Sometimes she coerced you with cooking. ‘You’re here now. You can do this.’ She was planting seeds. She would invite you in and feed you a cookie or share water with you. She would have you volunteering for things. She would give you the seed of something you had no idea of or would be thinking about. But she planted it, hoping that it was something that would grow. She would have a conversation with you. You could tell her about something you might be frustrated about and she would give you that spark. She would say, ‘I believe in you. I believe you can do it,’” Gradin shared with the crowd.A walking bridge to the playground and metal monkey bars. (Source photo by Elisa McKay)“Everyone of us here is a beneficiary of her affect. I am, oh man! I got a lot more of her than any of you. She never saw it broken. She saw something beautiful and her affect took effect,” Gradin said. Gradin invited the group to walk away with three things:
Let the children play.
Let the seed grow.
Let the spark ignite.
That’s how we will honor Linda — a reminder of what we have here, she said. Linda’s husband, Bill Boyton, told the crowd, “First of all, I want to thank all of you. I love that you’re here. This is happening because of you.” Boyton thanked two former students [Marley and Jackson]. He spoke of them as just more children as he referenced his life working and living with Garvin. “We would get a group of awkward students, then they would graduate and move on. The process always produced the best of that spark and that seed. Then it was following college, getting a job, relocating to New York City, going to Chicago, or working in Center City, or in California doing directing or lighting, and suddenly … the family I had of just two children was then a family of 50 children. They were a better deal because they came with less expenses,” he said to a laughing crowd.“I have all these kids who are now my family. When these two [Marley and Jackson] decided to take on this project, I said, go for it. It’s a feeling of community pulling together. This is a delightful time for me,” Boyton said.At the close of the event, the Source caught up with Sports, Parks, & Recreation employee Carita Stevens Gumbs. She is the Youth Community coordinator supervisor of the Midre Cummings Playground and spoke affectionately about Garvin.Carita Steven’s Gumbs, SPAR Youth Community coordinator and supervisor of the Midre Cummings Playground. (Source photo by Elisa McKay)“Ms. Garvin was just so loving and sweet. We all knew how much she loved the children and we were saddened with the news of her passing. The community and the department are blessed with the bench and the playground. Her legacy will continue.”“Let the Children Play!” (Source photo by Elisa McKay)“Let The Children Play!”For more information:
dspr.vi.gov
Oleanvine Pickering Maynard, seen here is a 2015 campaign announcement, was sentenced to nine years and four months for her role in a cocaine smuggling plot. (Facebook photo)
Oleanvine Pickering Maynard, the former managing director of the British Virgin Islands Ports Authority, was sentenced in Miami Thursday to more than nine years in prison for her role in a plot to ship at least 3,000 kilograms of cocaine from Tortola to Miami, prosecutors said.
In a deal with prosecutors, Pickering Maynard, 62, pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to import more than five kilograms of cocaine. Money laundering and racketeering charges were dropped as she agreed to testify against her former boss, then BVI-Premier Andrew Fahie.
Pickering Maynard and her son, Kadeem Maynard, pleaded guilty in May 2023. Fahie was found guilty by a Miami jury in February of conspiracy to import more than five kilograms of cocaine, conspiracy to engage in money laundering, attempted money laundering, and foreign travel in aid of racketeering.
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams sentenced Pickering Maynard to nine years and four months behind bars plus five years of supervised release, according to federal prosecutors. The sentence was less than the 14-year maximum. Kadeem Maynard was sentenced to 57 months in prison in November.
Fahie, 53, who is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 5, argued earlier this month that he had a relatively minor role in the smuggling plot compared to Pickering Maynard’s, who was supposed to get required licenses for cocaine-laden ships to gain legitimacy by spending a few days in the British overseas territory.
The pair were arrested at the Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport on April 28, 2022, after stepping off a private jet they thought contained $700,000 as pre-payment for a first cocaine shipment, prosecutors said. That same day, Maynard was arrested on St. Thomas, where prosecutors said he expected to receive his first payment.
Evidence presented at trial included text messages, WhatsApp communications, and more than 8,000 minutes of secretly recorded audio tape on which the three enthusiastically agreed to make Tortola a major narcotics throughpoint. On those recordings, Fahie, a fixture in BVI politics since 1999, bragged about decades of ill deeds and gave the name of at least one smuggler that he considered like family. Fahie, represented by attorney Theresa Van Vliet, contended that he believed he was being “framed” by U.K. officials in a bid to remove him from office and that he intended to have the cash-laden jet seized when it landed in Tortola.
Lillian Mercer
Lillian Mercer has died.
Lillian Mercer was preceded in death by her mother, Sarah Fahie; father, James Vanterpool; sister, Laurencina Vanterpool-Acoy; husband, James Howard Mercer; daughter, Monique Mercer; and granddaughter, Nasia Mercer.
She is survived by sisters: Bernice Turnbull, Beryl Farrington, Eunice Raymond; children: Judith Todman, Tyrone “Jerry” Todman, Kevin “Kevie” Mercer and Elston “Rick” Mercer; daughters-in-law: Mildred Todman, Donielle Chase-Mercer and Cicely Mercer; son-in-law, Ellis Blyden; grandchildren: Deshaun Todman, Khadijah Wynter, J’Waan Todman, Jerome Samuel, Kaleisha Agard, Jhacoya Blyden-Graves, Jabulani Blyden, Kiana Chase-Mercer, Naji Mercer, Kenya Chase-Mercer, Kalea Mercer and Khyree Mercer;
She is also survived by granddaughters-in-law; Kimmel Todman and Latoya Samuel; grandson-in-law, Ramone Graves; and great-grandchildren: Kayla Todman, Keri Todman, Carter Todman, De’Nari Durand, De’Lani Durand, Jayden Todman, Javian Todman, Samya Samuel, Jaylen Verdejo, Kaiya Lewis and Ramiyah Graves.
Friends and relatives are invited to attend the Celebration of Life for Lillian Mercer. The first viewing will be held at 9 a.m. on Friday, June 28, at the C-5 Estate Hoffman Church of God of Prophecy with the homegoing service immediately after at 10 a.m. Interment will be at Eastern Cemetery.
Three men were shot and another injured by broken glass as they played dominoes at a Frangipani, St. Croix home Wednesday evening, police said Thursday.
Virgin Islands Police Department officials said two men with assault rifles got out of a sports utility vehicle, walked up to the Mon Bijou-area home, and opened fire just before 7 p.m. After shooting, the two men got back in the car and drove away.
The rain of bullets killed Ray Vincent Stevens, 29, and Keshawn Kirby, Jr., 27, both of St. Croix. Another man was struck and underwent emergency surgery at Juan F. Luis Hospital. He was listed in serious condition.
“The fourth injured man received minor injuries from glass debris but refused to assist in the investigation of the murder of his friends,” police spokesman Glen Dratte said.
Police were still investigating the scene, Dratte said, having collected, photographed, and identified several high-caliber spent cartridges. Anyone with information on this double homicide was asked to call the tip line at 340 778 4850, or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-tips, or 911.
The killings were the 12th and 13th homicides in the territory in 2024 — the third and fourth on St. Croix.
Genevieve Whitaker
The recent Workforce and Development Committee hearing provided a crucial platform to discuss the future of education in the Virgin Islands, yet it is regrettable that key issues were not addressed with the necessary depth and transparency. Specifically, the reopening of schools and the detailed plans for expending the remaining $138 million in the American Rescue Plan Outlying Areas State Educational Agency (ARP-OA SEA) implementation plan were notably glossed over by the Virgin Islands Department of Education.
As the Chairwoman of the Committee on Workforce Development in the 34th Legislature, I have had to take extraordinary measures, including issuing a subpoena, to obtain critical information from the Department of Education. This level of oversight is essential to ensure that the substantial ARP funds are used effectively and transparently to support our educational system during these challenging times. To date, only 26 percent of the allocated $138,158,430 in ARP funds have been spent, leaving $102,275,163 that must be utilized before the funds expire on Sept. 30, 2024.
The ARP funds were approved by the U.S. Department of Education on Nov. 23, 2021, to support K-12 schools and students in the Virgin Islands. Here is the link to the archived Press Release: https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-approves-us-virgin-islands-implementation-plan-use-american-rescue-plan-funds-support-k-12-schools-and-students.
The funds are intended to sustain the safe operation of schools and equitably expand opportunities for students, particularly those most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The approved implementation plan details how these funds will be used to support safe, in-person instruction and address the social, emotional, mental health and academic needs of students.
One positive development from the hearing was the announcement of a Dropout Prevention Plan. This initiative, which I had previously advocated for, is a step in the right direction. It is a response to a pressing issue that I was once told was “political” when I initially requested it from the former commissioner. Nonetheless, the new plan’s existence alone is not enough. The current commissioner of Education assured us that her team has developed this plan, yet it remains unseen by the public.
The community deserves more than just assurances; we need concrete details and accessible plans. The commissioner’s statements must be backed by a publicly available document outlining the strategies and actions to be taken to prevent dropouts. Transparency in this matter is not optional — it is essential.
Furthermore, the absence of a detailed discussion on the reopening of schools is alarming. The safe and effective reopening of our schools is critical for the continuity of education and the well-being of our students. We need comprehensive plans that address safety protocols, learning loss recovery, mental health support, and infrastructural improvements. These plans should be openly shared with students, educators, administrators, parents and the wider community to ensure everyone is informed and prepared.
The $138 million in ARP funds represents a historic investment in our education system. The funds must be spent wisely, with a clear focus on addressing the educational disruptions caused by the pandemic, supporting teachers, enhancing technology and ensuring all students have the resources they need to succeed. This requires detailed planning and transparent communication from the Department of Education.
In conclusion, while the introduction of the Dropout Prevention Plan is a positive step, the lack of visibility and detailed discussion on the utilization of ARP funds and the reopening of schools is a significant oversight. The Virgin Islands community deserves transparency and accountability from its educational leaders. It is imperative that the Department of Education provides detailed, publicly accessible plans on these critical issues to restore trust and ensure that our educational system can thrive in the post-pandemic era.
The future of our children’s education is at stake, and it is our collective responsibility to demand better oversight and clarity on these matters. Only through open dialogue and transparent planning can we truly support our students, educators and administrators in the Virgin Islands.
— Former Sen. Genevieve Whitaker
Editor’s note: Genevieve Whitaker, JD, MPM, MCJ, CPM, is a Democratic candidate for public office (Legislature of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix District) and a former senator, 34th Legislature of the Virgin Islands.
Finance Commissioner Kevin McCurdy fielded compliments and criticisms at Tuesday’s budget hearings. (Photo courtesy V.I. Legislature)
Finance Committee Chair Sen. Donna Frett-Gregory expressed concern to the Finance Department on Tuesday about how its budget was presented and how it accepted $2.2 million in worthless checks.
The lion’s share of the bounced checks ($1.7 million) was written to the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Frett-Gregory said she believed those checks were written intentionally to bounce and that they should be sent to the Attorney General’s office for action.
Kevin McCurdy, the commissioner of Finance, agreed with Frett-Gregory and said he would take action regarding the bounced checks.
Lucy Nunez, the director of Finance’s Treasury, said the Department of Planning and Natural Resources received the most bounced checks after BIR—$157,000—and the Office of the Lt. Governor next with $100,000.
McCurdy said Finance encourages agencies to use TeleCheck, which guarantees checks that pass through its system. However, Telecheck does not guarantee checks over $25,000. Frett-Gregory recommended that it become government policy to accept only cashier’s checks for $25,000 or over.
Frett-Gregory said this was a problem with a history, and Nunez confirmed that the $2.2 million just counted checks bounced in fiscal year 2024.
Although Frett-Gregory complimented McCurdy on his work at Finance, she said about the budget presentation, “This is very frustrating. We have to do better than this.” She said the presentation included sums that did not need to be included and did not break down other categories as it should.
McCurdy testified that the Finance Department’s FY 2025 budget recommendation of $14 million includes funding from the general fund, government insurance fund, and the indirect cost fund.
He broke it down, saying the General Fund would supply almost $13 million and the Government Insurance Fund $969,347. The Indirect Cost Fund would contribute $108,500.
The budget would fund 62 positions, five of which are vacant. The appropriation would be $3.4 million from the General Fund and $412,000 from the Government Insurance Fund.
Projected fringe benefits for FY 2025 are at $1,625,500.
The Office of Management and Budget was also supposed to present its budget, but the presentation was delayed because of Director Jenifer O’Neal’s recent resignation.
St. John residents joined a CZM permit meeting by way of live video conference Tuesday night. (Source photo by Judi Shimel)
Concerned citizens convened for a virtual meeting of the St. John Coastal Zone Management Board on Tuesday night. Two requests for building permits were on the agenda, including one to construct an emergency communications tower serving Coral Bay.
About 48 people logged onto the Microsoft Teams session, which lasted more than two hours. Most of the discussion focused on Liberty Mobile USVI, Inc.’s proposed construction of a FirstNet tower. Residents attending the video conference questioned the location, safety, and reliability of the device chosen to serve the eastern part of St. John.
FirstNet is a national broadband network serving emergency responders across the U.S. Liberty Communications Government Affairs Counsel Wanda Perez Alvarez said the site at Parcel 6-4-1, No. 1 Coral Bay Quarter was the government’s choice for construction.
“Given that we are limited to a very specific area, this is the best area … we need to meet the FirstNet Commitment,” Alvarez said.
Coral Bay resident Laurie Francis identified herself as the homeowner living closest to the construction site. She and others asked if the device was tested for wind speed durability.
“What is the wind rating of the pole?” Francis said, voicing concerns that her home could be damaged if the pole were to fall.
Coral Bay resident David Silverman and former Coral Bay Community Council President Sharon Coldren questioned why details about the plans were changed in last-minute modifications before the meeting was held.
CZM Director Marlon Hibbert read letters at the meeting that were sent in by other local residents. Lorelei Monsanto said she opposed the permit because the site identified by Liberty had previously been designated as a public recreation site by the V.I. government; later on the same site was chosen by WAPA to build an emergency generator.
Coldren also asked Liberty representatives whether the FirstNet device would perform to expectations. “There has never been any scientific information to show how the FirstNet service will provide adequate emergency service communication with the tower in that proposed location,” she said. “We don’t even know if it will reach the fire station.”
However, the former council president acknowledged that she attended several meetings during the plan’s development. Alvarez said those talks gave the community a chance to have their voices heard.
“We listened to the community; we lowered the height of the tower. We also listened to the concerns about the water flow, but this is the site we have leased and this is the site we are seeking the CZM permit for,” Alvarez said.
Other participants asked if the changes in the proposed tower height would lead to a new round of public hearings before wireless permits were issued. Hibbert said yes.
The other permit applicant before the St. John CZM board was the nonprofit Animal Care Center. Center operators are seeking a permit to build a larger shelter in Coral Bay than the one they have operated in Enighed-Contant for the past 20 years. Once completed, they said, the new facility would accommodate 20 dogs and 19 cats.
Lady Rovers U11 Team group shot. (Photos courtesy Lady Rovers Soccer Club)
Girls’ soccer teams will battle it out this weekend as the Lady Rovers Soccer Club presents its third annual Summer Kick-Off. The tournament will take place from Thursday to Sunday at the St. Croix Renaissance Park, also known as VIALCO, and will feature Girls U6, U11, and U16 teams from St. Croix, St. Thomas, and the BVI.
The Lady Rovers Soccer Club is a branch of the male soccer team, “Rovers.” Coach Makiesh Taylor-Jones and Zauditu Kaza-Amlak affectionately known as “Coach Z” took on the women’s division in 2022.
“When we started, there really was nothing happening for women’s soccer outside of the national team, and even that pool was very small. Growing up Makiesh and I played together and there was a lot more happening for female soccer. Not much, but more than we saw in 2021 and 2022,” said Coach Z.
After inquiring, they took it upon themselves to accept the offer to be the women’s development officers for the Lady Rovers and began recruiting. Coach Z reflected on their first day. “I think our first day we had like nine girls,” she said.
“We wanted to get it back to what we knew soccer to be when we were younger and even better than that,” she continued.
Today, the Lady Rovers have a total of 70 females registered to the club from U6 up to the women’s division. The U6 team is called the “Ladybugs,” with girls as young as 3 years old.
Little Ladybugs battle it out. (Photos courtesy Lady Rovers Soccer Club)
On Thursday, the first day of the tournament, there will be a welcome ceremony for the participating coaches and staff. This will also be an opportunity to discuss the weekend’s events and the rules and regulations for the tournament.
On Friday, there will be an opening ceremony at 10:00 a.m. with special performances, followed by the start of the games at 10:30 a.m.
On Saturday, the games will continue at 9:30 a.m.
Finally, on Sunday, the top four teams will compete to determine the winner of the tournament.
Lady Rover players try to gain control of the ball. (Photos courtesy Lady Rovers Soccer Club)
The Lady Rovers Soccer Club is no stranger to throwing a fantastic party for their players. After the tournament, the club will host their closing ceremony with the theme being “Tropical Bliss” at Fort Frederik Museum and will also take that opportunity to honor sponsors and recognize their coaches.
“We want to show them that the hard work that they put on the field and to develop these life skills does pay off. We want to keep their interest and show them that in this community we want to have fun and they do deserve celebrations like this,” Coach Z said about the youth soccer players.
In terms of the future for the Lady Rover Soccer Club, she said, “I see a bright future for the Lady Rovers. Our goal as long as it’s what they want is to foster these skills in them so that they can now take it to a national team, a college or wherever they want to go in life. In terms of the club, we want to make it a foundation for women’s soccer in the Virgin Islands, where you can come and play good soccer, build those relationships and just keep growing.”
Dejalys Delgado passes the ball out at last year’s tournament. (Photos courtesy Lady Rovers Soccer Club)
The Lady Rovers Club would like to expand the tournament every year to include more participating teams from other Caribbean islands, creating Inter-Caribbean camaraderie.
Registration for their season begins in September.
Coach Z also expressed gratitude to the Soccer Federation, parents, and all their supporters. The Lady Rovers rely on public donations and sponsorships for funding. Some of their sponsors include Viya, St. Croix Renaissance Park, Salty Locs, Executive Tent Rentals, Aqua Mist, V.I. Lottery, USVI Public Library System, USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources, VIFEMS, Alfio Pizza, WSTX Radio Stations, Cane Bay Cares, USVI Division of Festivals/Tourism, Guardians of Culture, International Private Bank, Ideal Moments, First Step Therapy, Kaza Farm and Quick Serve Gas Station.
Esmeralda Cornelius
Esmeralda Cornelius, also known as “Esme,” of Estate Lavallee died on June 2. She was 90 years old.
She is survived by her daughters: Dale Elvin, Melba Williams, Debbie Richards, Darrell Williams, Marjorie Williams, Delta Harris and Erma David; sons: Larry Williams and Aaron Buntin; and grandchildren: Rashida, Glenroy Jr. and Marlon Elvin, Natarsha Romney, Rachid Simmonds. Abdul Fletcher, Akitha Williams, Michael Jr., Shakima, Eugene, Lester, Marvin and Shaneka Roberts, Christine Smith, Clifton Richards, Cymandye and Robbie Phillips, Sumiko Smith, Donald Robles III, Rashima, Larry I and Larry II Williams, Lydia and Francisco Camacho Jr., Angela, Jericha and Jochebed Harris, Teanna and Jamal Browne.
She is also survived by 56 great-grandchildren; 9 great-great-grandchildren; sisters: Lolita Saunders, Bernice Reynolds, Melcedis Henry, Agneta Sylvia Cornelius and Clothilda Charles; brothers: Richard Cornelius Sr., Warren Cornelius and Robert Joseph; and nieces: Janet Matthews, Sharon Jackson, Barbara and Laura Acoy, Desiree and Denise Charles, Elizabeth Henry, Eleanor Smith, Safisha, Keisha, Victoria and Dariah Cornelius, Sherese and Shevonne Joseph, Erica and Desiree Saunders.
Other survivors include nephews: Douglas Pompey, Steven Saunders, Herman Jackson, Shawn Sobratae, Deon and D’Angelo Charles, Robert II, Kareem and Jarell Joseph, Richard Cornelius II, Oliver Cornelius II, Randy and Terrance Rawlins; sons-in-law: Glenroy Elvin Sr. and Jerry Harris; brother-in-law, Paul Henry; sister-in-law, Cathrine Cornelius; cousins and other relatives: the Johannes family, Christian family, Urgent family, Billing family and Hewitt family, and the entire La Vallee Community; as well as other relatives and friends too numerous to mention.
The viewing will take place at 10 a.m. followed by a funeral service at 11 a.m., Wednesday, June 26, at Christus Victors Lutheran Church. Interment will be at Kingshill Cemetery.
