Memories of a father

by Helen McLennon

Hugh Haynes Hamlett was a man who had values; a man who loved his family and his country.

My early memories of my father include his teaching me to swim, letting me go in the water but always being close by to be sure that I did not go under. During the August school vacation I always looked forward to his working trips to Georgetown and Chateaubelair since he would take me and my sister Sylvie with him stopping at the different offices before having a picnic lunch.{{more}}

He loved travelling and taking photographs. I remember as children we used to have family slide shows on a Friday or Saturday night. The last slide show we had was last year when we had a lot of family together for a family reunion, many of those photos had not been seen by some of the family members before.

My father’s travels took him to many countries – England, the USA, Canada, many places on the European continent, the islands of the Caribbean and parts of South America.

My father was a family man who loved his wife, children and grandchildren, having many happy memories with them, passing on some of his wisdom and knowledge to us all. He was a very patient person. He loved God and brought us all up knowing God. He served God faithfully during his lifetime.

He always started and ended his day on his knees, and almost ended his life on his knees as he had just awoken and was praying when he had a stroke and took sick for three days, giving us a little chance to get used to the idea of him not being here anymore.

He died as he lived, a quiet, peaceful man. Even his last words as a dying man, not spoken but written with his eyes closed, were for the church.