Eulogy of Amrie Morris-Patterson

by Dr Marise Butler

Amrie Susan Morris Patterson was born on April 14, 1973 to Mrs Sylvia Morris McCalla and Jeremoth Burke. She was the only child of that union but has a sister, Roxanne Pompey, on her paternal side.

I first met Amrie in 1982. We were both nine years old. I had moved from the Diamonds Government School to the Biabou Methodist.

Amrie (right) with Kelly Ann Campbell on her 6th birthday in 1979 when La Soufriere erupted.

We sat together and somehow struck up a conversation about who ate pork. Mind you, we had never met before. When she insisted that I ate pork, I grabbed her hair. She grabbed mine and a fight ensued. The class teacher, her aunt Evelyn, punished us by making us stay inside for the games period. By the time everyone came back inside, Amrie and I were fast friends. Over the years, our friendship grew and persevered despite our changing circumstances and I am honoured to be asked to present her eulogy. Today, join with me as we review her life as the intellectual, the lover of family, the advocate and the believer.

Amrie as intellectual

During our time at primary school, Amrie shone. We all knew that she would be first in class. Her math skills even in those formative years, surpassed her class mates’ by leaps and bounds. At age 10 she placed 2nd in the Agricultural department’s school quiz and saw her name in print for the first time. She entered the Girls’ High School (GHS) on a Public Service Union scholarship in 1984 after pacing 6th in the then Common Entrance Examinations and she entered the math and science stream in form four. At the GHS she won awards in science fairs, representing her country in Guyana, Trinidad, Barbados and Antigua. At sixth form she was noticed for her stellar performance in mathematics, geography and science. Later, when we both ended up at the Mountain View Adventist Academy as young teachers, she taught math and science before heading off in 1993 to the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona campus on an island scholarship to begin studies leading to her degree in medicine and surgery.

When she returned to St Vincent and the Grenadines, she worked for two years as a medical officer at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital before returning to Jamaica to complete specialization in psychiatry. She completed specialization in 2007 and was stationed at the Mental Health Centre as Senior Registrar until 2011. People called her phone relentlessly day and night seeking her expertise in mental disorders. In 2013, she became a member of the staff of the Trinity Medical school and worked as the Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine and Behavioral Sciences until her passing, teaching and providing psychiatric services while maintaining her private office. She also worked with the government of Montserrat – Ministry of Health and Social services from 2018 as consultant psychiatrist. This meant that she went to Montserrat routinely to provide essential psychiatric services. I must note that despite her varied and multifaceted abilities, Amrie was a humble and down to earth soul.

Amrie and family

When Amrie met Anthony, she called me and described him. They had come to know one another at Advent fellowship on campus. I asked her how she knew he was the one and she said that when he went on Pathfinder camp one weekend, she missed him like she had never missed anyone before. She brought him to meet me and my parents and we were all so happy for them. They were married on July 16, 2000. She loved Anthony. Their marriage worked because they supported and encouraged each other in their individual projects. Although somewhat different in personality, theirs was a strong bond.

She loved her daughters. They welcomed Alyssa on October 30, 2001. I recall her hugging Alyssa to her on a boat trip from Bequia, so that Ally won’t get seasick and she insisted on returning from the States in August so she could see Ally. Annique was born on Februrary 7, 2006 and accompanied her everywhere. Annique shared with me that when she complained that there were hardly any pictures of her, her mother created an album just for her. Several times she asked me what would happen to her daughters if something happened to her. I tried to reassure her that her children would be fine, that they were stronger than she thought and that nothing was going to happen to her. Then I would change the conversation. I am sure you can agree with me that her daughters are strong capable young women.

We all know of her love for her other relatives, particularly her mother and her aunt Mrs Haily Rodgers also known as Aunty Hailey. She told me that she has always admired her Aunt for her hard work for others, cooking and sharing meals with the less fortunate while remaining strong and resolute. One of our walking routes took us past Mrs Rodgers house on Sundays where she collected goodies for her and her family. Mrs Rodgers was a tower of strength for Amrie. She told me as well that she didn’t know how strong her mother was until she became ill. Mrs Morris McCalla remained resolved to take care of Amrie, exuding courage when the rest of us fell apart. She accompanied Amrie back to the states in March and it was at that time that the bond between them grew even stronger as she took care of Amrie’s every need until she was able to return home in August. She had five aunts: Hailey Morris, Evelyn, Eltha, Deon, Huldah and five uncles: Philmon, Oldyn, Joel, Bernard and Dane. She had several cousins in St. Vincent, Barbados, Canada and the US. Honorary aunts were Paula Morris, Ambrozine Mills and Ancil Stoddard and honorary sister Daisy Sargeant.

But her love of family wasn’t just limited to her flesh and blood. It extended to the many friends she possessed. In secondary school, she was a part of a group of friends who met every year to go on beach trips. Karen Thomas, Shermin Pierre Warrican, Angeline Phillips, Juanita Francois (now deceased), Phyllis, Karen Quashie Larco, Gillian Agard O’Garro and I were all members of this group. Amrie fought for years for us to reconnect after we became adults and time and commitments made the gatherings more difficult.

Other friends such as Vaughn Lewis, Colete Thompson, Chet and Beverly Thompson, Paul Morris, Patrice Lawrence , Beverly and Cheryl Regisford , Zodelia Simmons, Cheron Bailey and many others gained over the years in St Vincent and Grenadines, Jamaica and beyond remained in touch over the years and became part of her family. Then of course, there was the Fountain SDA church family. Carmelita and Norville Cordice and family, Samantha and Elford James, Deann and Richard Ross, Jeremy Barbour, Roslyn Marshall and others too numerous to mention became an intricate part of her network. This network of friends and relatives can now provide support for her family.

Amrie as advocate

From the moment she became involved in mental health Amrie jumped in with both feet. In the early days at the mental hospital, she would call me on Friday nights and we spoke for hours while she unloaded the stress, challenges and positive moments she experienced on the job. She visited several churches and other institutions and she led discussions and passed on information about issues relevant to mental health. Also, she advocated for mental health through workshops held in schools and workplaces. She presented information on the television and radio. This wasn’t a show for her, it ran deep and extended itself to her family and friends. One day she called me and informed me that she was planning to feed the mentally ill and indigent persons on the streets of Kingstown. When I got to her house that Sunday morning, people were there already boxing food for distribution. Only Amrie could galvanize persons to prepare food and drink, go into Kingstown and distribute food to homeless all without a murmur of complaint. She approached many of the homeless and called them by name. It is an interesting coincidence that her passing took place on October 10 – World Mental Health day.

Amrie as believer

Amrie was a strong woman of faith. Yes, she was a regular church member having been baptized at 15. She was an AY leader at 16, taught in church classes, held different offices, including Health Ministries Director and Family Life Director. But her relationship with her Maker went further than those roles. She was genuine in her faith. Her mother recalls that she was honest to a fault! There are many who received her assistance whether financial, material, medical and psychological or just a kind word or advice and no one else would ever know. She was guided by and often repeated the words of James 1:27 “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world”. She lived out these words by visiting the sick, the shut in and the elderly. She held fast to her faith even when ill. Even when she moved from hospital to hospital, she would say ‘Boy Marise God has to know what He is doing’.

She told me that Anthony had said that what was happening to her was not necessarily a lesson for her alone but for all of us. A lesson of Job-like faith and of trusting God no matter what, understanding that God had the right to do or allow what was best in His sight. Her strong faith also made her very purposeful. She believed in living life to its fullest and celebrating every milestone. This purpose was particularly evident after she was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2007. She fought hard and with God’s strength and medication, entered remission. She took nothing for granted; birthdays and wedding anniversaries were celebrated. There were gatherings at her home and Saturday night limes with the church posse. Even simple walks were intentional. While she was all about keeping healthy, the walks were primarily time to forge deeper bonds of friendship, to catch up, to share and to listen.

In 2021 she came out of remission and the battle with leukaemia began again. She was hospitalized in the US in October 2022, and March 2023. She returned home in August 2023 after multiple organ failure, medical intervention and a miraculous recovery. Her family is thankful for the many prayers and contributions offered and received. She returned for a follow up check in the US in early October 2023. After returning to the hospital a few days later for an unrelated toothache/headache and while being treated there for that she experienced a fall and suffered fatal cerebral bleeding. She went to her rest on October 10, 2023.

I was blessed to have had Amrie as friend for 41 years. Every aspect of our lives is somehow bound up from the moment we met until the moment she left. We walked, talked, ate, cried and prayed together. I recall one day at a funeral seeing two old ladies walking together. I mentioned this to her and we agreed that we would be like that in our old age; two little old ladies walking with our sticks or walkers. That desire never took place.

Some of us have known her for years, others for a few months. But we know that if we cling to the God who knows Amrie and who Amrie knew, we will walk together again. Whatever our relationship with her was – mother, daughter, niece, husband, friend, colleague, neighbour, we will meet again, no pain, no illness, no death. We will rejoice, sing and laugh with one who had been such a great motivator and whose life has touched all of ours. Until then we do not mourn like those who have no hope and we say even so come Lord Jesus. May she rest in peace.