WE BURY MRS RAMSAY, ALRAE’S MOTHER
19 November 2024 St Agnes Church, Nassau
By Fred Mitchell ( A personal tribute)
Anita Ramsey
Alrae Ramsey
Transcribed from a voice note dated 22 November 2024 by Fred Mitchell:
Now, for the Christian love story, we buried Mrs. Anita Ramsey on Tuesday from Saint Agnes, church and graveyard, after an 1 hour and 10 minute service, with a mixture of Gospel Hall and Anglican hymns and the eulogy by Archdeacon Keith Cartwright. Mrs. Ramsey, the mother of the late Alrae Ramsey, a former foreign service officer, was laid to rest.
And her surviving daughter Aaliyah was in the church, Mrs. Ramsey’s husband died within 2 years of her own death. Her son was sadly taken away from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, near a river in Italy. The death has never been properly explained. Another young Bahamian man lost his life as well at the same time, at that same river.
As minister, I felt some responsibility for Mr Ramsey’s career. I explained that to him when I lost office in 2017: that once the new regime identifies you as being connected with the previous regime, you’ll be isolated, but life is a cycle, hold on, change will come, bide your time. Do things like go to school and see you when things changed.
Sadly, that was not to be. Mrs. Ramsey lost her only son. The Ministry lost a valued employee. There was, however, a lot of affection in the ministry for him and his service. Mrs. Ramsey joined the staff of the ministry as a consequence, in the human resources department of the ministry. Despite her illness and deep grief, she performed well and won hearts and minds. We had hoped to officially open The Bahamas Alrae Ramsey Institute of Foreign Affairs before her passing.
Sadly, that was not to be. You know W H Auden in his poem said: “I thought love would last forever. I was wrong”.
In this instance, the Christian love, respect and admiration for her son devolved upon the mother. I believe as long as there is a Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I think, the memory of she and her son will survive.
In the arms of an angel, far away from here. May she rest in peace.