Evy celebrates seventy

Evy Durrant was described as a “gem” by Joy Mayers, a sister in Christ during a 70th birthday toast on Saturday, 01 January 2005.

For that occasion, over 100 people – brothers, sisters, a son, cousins and nieces, many of whom had travelled from overseas – gathered along with a brother, a sister, friends, relatives and church colleagues, to celebrate at a party at Club Krismau, an entertainment spot in Arnos Vale.{{more}}

The event was also addressed by friends Lily Maloney, Melina Thomas and Val Lewis; speaking, too, were sisters Morna and Merle who live in Canada and Brooklyn respectively, the main planners of the event.

Merle expressed that a person should get to smell the roses while alive. The party was thus their way of showing how much they appreciate their sister’s love and care shown to them and their children over the years. Son Glenroy “Heart” Durrant described Evy as “a great mother”.

Speaker after speaker lauded the good qualities of Evy as a sister and friend. Yvette Barnwell-Wickham described her as a good neighbour and an elegant woman, with qualities that she and her sister wanted to emulate, while the Hon. Girlyn Miguel described Evy as a “good friend” and a blessed sister in Christ, a confidant.

All the sentiments expressed seem to endorse the point of brother Cecil when he said, “Evy does not mix black and white; she calls black, black and white, white. Nothing is sugar-coated; she says it as she sees it.” According to Cecil, a person with such qualities does not have many friends but when you have such a friend, you know you have a true friend.

Evy Durrant was born in Higher Lowmans Windward to Ivy and Enoch Durrant. She attended the Lowmans Anglican School and in 1952 joined the staff of the Hadley’s Estate in Union as the assistant secretary, a job she held for 19 years, up until 1972.

She had her first son Glenroy “Heart” Durrant in 1957. In 1969 she married Jeff Wynne of Mesopotamia, a union that produced one son, Patrick Wynne. Today, Evy has even more to be proud of, her service to community. Presently she visits the sick and elderly to minister to them.