Errol Dennis Small

Errol Dennis Small was a man of the faith, who loved flowers, poetry, family, and service to his community as well as to his native country, Trinidad and Tobago. He spent many years working in education, foreign service, and international development in the United States at the Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago as an Agricultural Attaché for 12 years and as a Director of International Marketing and Agriculture for 16 years with the Maryland Department of Agriculture. Errol died on July 29, 2022, at Anne Arundel Medical Center. He was 86 years old.

Errol was born on November 20, 1935, in Scarborough, Tobago, the third of six children to the late Charles Quentin Small and Wilhelmina George Small.

As a young boy, Errol grew up in the Adventist faith. He went to a boy’s school in Scarborough then attended Seven Day Adventist High School where he learned to be a teacher. Errol taught for several years, and then on August 7, 1967, at age 31, he left Trinidad and Tobago to study in the United States.

Errol and his family settled in Montgomery County, Maryland where he attended University of Maryland and received a B.S. in agronomy and later a Master’s in horticulture.

In April of 1974, Errol began working for Trinidad and Tobago’s Embassy as an Agricultural Attaché in their foreign affairs office. After an impressive 12 years at the embassy, Errol went on to work for the Maryland Department of Agriculture where he finished his 16-year stellar career as Director of International Marketing and Agriculture.

During his sixteen years at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, Errol received numerous awards and recognitions. Some of these outstanding accomplishments included introducing Perdue to exportation of poultry, aiding in exportation of horses to the Ukraine and South Korea, introducing hair sheep breed to the Caribbean as well as 4ever green forage sorghum to Trinidad and Tobago. Along with his international efforts to improve cattle genetics in the Caribbean, he oversaw the expansion of farmers markets, organic production standards, horticulture exportation, advancing the Maryland wine industry.

Two experiential highlights during his career included meeting Fidel Castro in Cuba to discuss the exportation of apples, and his most treasured moment when he met Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

Errol was also up this August 2022 for a special award for exemplar patriotism from the Trinidad and Tobago diaspora outreach network.

During his lifetime, Errol was actively engaged in his community. From his years spent in Montgomery County then later in Annapolis, he was surrounded by neighbors, family, and friends. He also was an active member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

An avid gardener, Errol was passionate about flowers. He grew knockout rose bushes, thousands of tulips, and dinner plate dahlias. He also grew the largest vegetables from zucchinis to tomatoes, which were appreciated and enjoyed by his neighbors in Annapolis. Errol also loved bicycling, traveling around the world, dogs, especially great Danes, and last but not least British poetry.

As engaged as he was in the community, Errol’s primary legacy and love was his family. Errol met his first wife, Ruth Myrna Whiteman Small, in 1945. They married in 1961. Their union produced four children, Ethnie (Mark) Jones, Errol Small (deceased), Gurney Small, and Kurt (Angela) Small, and seven grandchildren, Elliott (Lauren) Jones, Taylor (Addison) Corriher, Kayla Small, Annabelle Small, Emma Small, Thorne Small, and Tricia Small. Errol married to his second wife, Carol Grosse Small in 1992. Their union of 29 years added two stepchildren, Michael (Martina) Giannini and Mary (John) Plummer, and two step-grandchildren, Anthony Plummer and Adam Plummer.

Errol is also survived by 4 siblings, George (Pat) Small, Nolton Small, Wilfred Small, and Daphne Small (Albert deceased) Graham, and his deceased sister Auldith Small Forbin.

One of Errol’s beloved poems, which he frequently recited, was The Ladder of St. Augustine by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Here was his favorite stanza:

The heights by great

men reached and kept

were not attained

by sudden flight,

but they, while

their companions

slept, were toiling

upward in the night.

And Errol also found solace in the past several months in the two below poems, which he hoped to share his favorite stanzas with everyone.

My strength is failing fast

(Said the sea-king to his men.)

I shall never sail the seas

Like a conqueror again.

“Sea-King’s Burial” stanza 1, by Charles Mackay

Sunset and evening star,

And one clear call for me!

And may there be no moaning of the bar,

When I put out to sea,

Twilight and evening bell,

And after that the dark!

And may there be no sadness of farewell,

When I embark;

“Crossing the Bar” stanza 1 and 3, by Alfred Lord Tennyson

In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Errol Dennis Small may be directed to support the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and/or Catholic Charities.