Weeville laid to rest

Philip Hamilton, Gleaner Writer

Prominent citizen, dedicated community man, and public servant is how the late Canon Weeville Gordon was remembered yesterday at his funeral attended by hundreds of mourners at St Matthew's Anglican Church in Kingston.

Gordon, who died on Saturday, November 20, had served as rector of St Matthew's for 40 years up to his retirement from active ministry in 2002, having spent 50 years as an Anglican priest.

A former custos of Kingston, a position he held for 18 years, Gordon had acted as governor general on over 70 occasions, the last time being October 2009. In 1994, he was awarded the Order of Distinction, Commander Class, and the Order of Jamaica in 2007.

The oldest of five children, Gordon, who grew up in St Elizabeth, was born in Cuba to Jamaican parents.

Bishop of Jamaica, the Reverend Alfred Reid, who delivered the homily, noted that Gordon was defined not so much through his social service, but by his character as a priest.

"He was comfortable with all sorts and conditions of people - high and low, rich and poor - because his comfort level did not depend upon titles. He was honourable not because of his OJ or position as custos, but because he had honour," Reid said.

The bishop said Gordon represented a generation of priests who were examples of true public servants who carried out their duties whenever they were called on to do so.

Tributes were also paid by the St George's Anglican Church in Grand Cayman where Gordon served as non-residential rector for several years, the Holy Trinity Church in Grange Hill, in the parish of Westmoreland, as well individuals locally and overseas.

Gordon's daughter, Dr Angela Stair, who delivered the tribute on the family's behalf, described her father as a man with a terrific sense of humour who played pranks on his children from time to time.

She said he also had a serious side as several of the young men whom he counselled discovered when they found themselves in trouble and turned to him for help, which he quickly rendered after rebuking them for their behaviour.

Among those persons in attendance were Education Minister Andrew Holness, who represented Prime Minister Bruce Golding, Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller, and representatives from the church community.

Canon Gordon, who was interred at the St Andrew Parish Church Cemetery in Half-Way Tree, is survived by his widow Ellonia and children Dr Angela Gordon Stair, Dr Peter-John Gordon, and Flavia Gunter.