Relis Gift was born on May 1, 1929 in Runnemede, Tobago. She was the oldest of six children for her mother, Isabella Wright, and her father Donaldson Gift. She also had several additional younger siblings from her father’s side of the family.
As a teenager, she helped her mother to run the Gift household and take care of her younger siblings. She attended commercial school in Tobago, and she eventually traveled to Trinidad in 1950 where she met McDonald Gaspard. She married McDonald Gaspard on March 31, 1957. She was married to him for almost 58 years before his death in 2015. He was the love of her life, and treated her like a queen with dignity and respect. She also became a beloved member of the closely-knit Gaspard family.
She was a homemaker and raised three children in the Gaspard household – Walter Gaspard (deceased), Beverly Gaspard, and Christopher Gift (deceased nephew). She had two granddaughters – Sascha and Tatiana Cordner, who she loved deeply, and always took a very keen interest in their lives. Throughout her life, she was a caring, selfless woman who routinely took care of others in need, regardless of their circumstances. She provided assistance to her siblings when they came to Trinidad to pursue various careers, and maintained very close relationships with them, especially with her only sister Beris Gift-John. She constantly provided a listening ear, solid advice, and loving guidance in many people’s lives. She consistently provided shelter to countless others who needed refuge and solace, some of whom stayed in the Gaspard household for a few days or weeks, while others stayed there for several years. She was held in high esteem by all of them, some of whom even thought of her as their second mother.
She was a founding member of the Church of Christ in Diego Martin, Trinidad and was a devoted member for over 40 years. She served in various capacities including teaching Sunday School, as well as the Ladies ministry. She held weekly choir practices at her home where she played the piano, and taught church members various Christian hymns. She had a beautiful singing voice and sang alto in the choir for several years. She could be heard singing and playing the piano on a regular basis by family, friends, church members, and neighbors. She had a deep abiding faith, and devoted her life to serving Christ as her Lord and Savior.
She had many talents and interests. She was a wonderful seamstress. She sewed many wedding dresses, other dresses, and outfits for family members, friends, and clients. She decided that she wanted to do even more challenging work, and took on the daunting task of taking tailoring lessons. She eventually became a seasoned tailor, and sewed many tailored pants for her husband, her brothers, her son, her nephews, and many others. She also knitted several doilies, table cloths, and bedspreads. She was a marvelous cook and enjoyed making several tasty dishes including savory meats, soups, cakes, breads, pasteles, and rotis for her family. She became interested in keeping herself fit and started attending a gym in her forties, where she became a long-term member for over 30 years. She also encouraged other family members to join the gym and keep the fitness craze going full steam ahead!
Relis was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2015. Her remaining years were spent in Florida with her darling daughter, Beverly Cordner, son-in-law John Cordner, and granddaughters Sascha and Tatiana Cordner. During those years, she completed countless drawings with colored pencils that she called colorings, and she continued playing her favorite Christian hymns on the piano. She has always delighted family members, especially her granddaughters, with her unique sense of humor, her hearty laugh, and her fighting spirit. Her colorings have been shared with many family members and will always remain a constant source of joy to all of us who love and cherish her. She passed away on September 30, 2022 surrounded by her loving daughter and her son-in-law. Just like her maiden name, she was truly a gift to all of us who were blessed to have her in our lives. May she rest in eternal heavenly peace.
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