Jascinth Merl Williams was born on November 4, 1942 in Albert Town, Trelawny, Jamaica to Henrietta Case (nicknamed “Ms. Etta”) and Gordon Spencer. Jascinth is predeceased by her parents and late husband, Lovell Hewitt, who died on April 7, 2003. On February 13, 2020, Jascinth Williams was called home.
Jascinth attended Albert Town Primary School. Later, she attended Mico Teachers’ College in Kingston, Jamaica, where she obtained a Teaching Certificate. (Mico Teachers’ College was founded in 1836. It is the oldest teacher training institution in the Western Hemisphere and one of the oldest in the world.)
After obtaining her Teaching Certificate from Mico Teachers’ College, Jascinth taught for approximately eight years at Port Royal All Age School in Port Royal (once known as the “richest and wickedest city on earth” before it was mostly destroyed by an earthquake and tsunami in 1692). She taught Mathematics, English, Science, Social Studies, Geography, Home Economics and Spanish. At Port Royal All Age School, she implemented and taught a Common Entrance Preparatory Program to assist students in preparing for the National Common Entrance Examination. Also, she was the first teacher at the school to introduce Spanish in the curriculum. Throughout Port Royal, she was well-respected and known as “Teacher Williams.”
After teaching at Port Royal All Age School, Jascinth migrated to Bronx, New York, where she attended nursing school and became a Registered Nurse. She worked at North Central Bronx Hospital for a number of years until her subsequent move in 1988 to Miami, Florida, where she worked at Parkway Hospital, Cedars Medical Center and, up until her retirement, Aventura Hospital.
Jascinth and James Yin Chong, parented three children, Dean, Carol and Paula who were born in Trelawny. (Mr. James Yin Chong died in 1969). In 1964, Jascinth married Donald Williams. The marriage produced one child, Karen, who was born in Kingston, Jamaica. The marriage ended in divorce. (Donald Williams died on April 14, 2014.) Jascinth was a strict disciplinarian to her four children. Currently, Dean resides in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Carol and Paula reside in Jamaica. Karen resides in Plantation, Florida.
A talented baker, seamstress on the side (made brides’ maids and wedding dresses), teacher and nurse, Jascinth would accomplish whatever she set her mind to do. Additionally, she was very proficient at crocheting. Her home was replete with crochet pieces that she made. She also made her own curtains. She was an excellent money manager who invested and saved. One of her popular saying was “Cash is King.” She enjoyed travelling. While living in Jamaica, she traveled throughout Europe and to New Zealand.
Her most recent travels before she fell ill were to China and Australia. An engaging story teller, she captivated the listener with her dramatic presentation. She had an impressively deep knowledge of world geography and knew a proverbial saying for every situation. One of her favorite sayings was “Make hay while the sun shines.” Usually while she had a pot on the stove cooking, which she enjoyed and at which she was exceptional, she would read the newspaper. Jascinth was extremely smart, determined and very strong-willed.
From 1880 to 2017, it is believed that less than 5 people per year have been named Jascinth. That is fitting, because Jascinth Merl Williams was a unique woman.
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