Footprints: Roosevelt Campbell - Beloved sports-lover slips away
Published:Monday | March 21, 2016 | 12:00 AM
When Naomi Campbell heard that her son, Roosevelt Donovan St Aubyn Campbell, had passed away she screamed uncontrollably. She said she could not contain herself.
"No, it's not true, tell me it's not true," she screamed as she kept hitting a chair. Her beloved son was no more.
Roosevelt Campbell died suddenly on February 19 leaving two sons - Roosevelt Junior and Dale, father Versham, eight siblings, and other relatives.
His mother told Footprints that he was a kind, caring, loving, affectionate son on whom she could call anytime. He was always there for her, she said. He was very protective of his younger siblings. Nobody could ever interfere with them.
He was so kind he would give away everything, even the shirt on his back, Mrs Campbell said of the former Westmoreland Spelling Bee champion boy.
Campbell attended Savanna-la-Mar Primary, Unity Prep and Manning's School. He also studied at Sam Sharpe Teachers' College in St James, GC Foster College of Physical Education in St Catherine and the Mona campus of The University of the West Indies where he lived in Taylor Hall.
He taught at Frome Technical High School and Mannings School in Westmoreland. He worked for a while in TVJ's sports department. At the time of his passing he was employed to the St Thomas Social Development Commission in Morant Bay.
"The management and staff of the Social Development Commission express regret at the sudden passing of Mr Roosevelt Campbell ... The SDC is appreciative of the 17 years of his dedication, loyalty and commitment to the field of community development and sports which has impacted positively on the lives of our internal and external stakeholders," the St Thomas SDC said.
The St Thomas SDC will be having an evening of tributes tomorrow at 2 p.m. at the SDC in Morant Bay.
The thanksgiving service for Roosevelt Campbell will be on Saturday, March 26 at 11 a.m. at the United Church in Savanna-la-Mar. Interment is to follow at West Palm Memorial Park.
-Paul H. Williams