Paul Richard Munroe

PAUL RICHARD MUNROE was born April 13, 1960, at Linstead Hospital, St Catherine Jamaica to Leita Williams nee Virgo and Filmore Fitzroy Munroe. He was cared for by his paternal grandmother in Guy’s Hill, St Catherine from age 22 months to 5 years, but he became too rambunctious for her, and was sent back to live with his parents and younger brothers. The family later moved to Spanish Town where Paul was educated at McCauley Primary and Spanish Town Secondary School. He had an active, eventful life that would sometimes necessitate corrective actions. Nonetheless, he had parents, grandmothers, uncles, aunts, and cousins to guide him.  

            Paul migrated to Brooklyn, New York, USA on May 5, 1983. It would have been May 4th if he and his 2 brothers, Dave and Kenroy, had not missed their flight. They went just in time to see their plane taxiing down the runway. I am told that for that summer they formed the 5-A-Side Munroe and Adopted Soccer Team, beating team after team in NY. As soon as the temperature started to change, Paul ditched New York for Miami, Florida where he lived with his mother. It appears he hated the cold then, as much as he hated it in recent times. He was employed by American Airlines in 1992 to present but went on medical disability in 2017.

             Paul was an extremely fierce competitor and was one of the original Rovers Football Team members. He was passionate about football (soccer) and an aggressive defender that protected his goalkeeper with great prowl, so much so his teammates called him “Hooligan”. My brother loved to play soccer so much he would drive from Miami to Orlando every Sunday morning to play a game and drive back home. If he missed a game, there would be widespread panic among his teammates as he was the general of defense and they fear they couldn’t win without him. Off the field he was an ardent fan. Paul would travel to other countries to support his Jamaican soccer team.

            During his time with us, Paul held special places in the hearts of many; beloved son, father to his kids, father figure to his youngest sister and others, best-friend to his brother, confidant, advisor, beloved Papa, favorite sibling, beloved co-worker, favorite nephew, friend. In preparing this synapse of the life of Paul, I discovered his daily calls extended to the hills of St Catherine, Jamaica to Canada to Virginia to Orlando to several stops in South Florida. He was an accommodator for those who missed a flight offering a place to eat and sleep and the joker who puts a spin on EVERYTHING, even when you are mad at him. He was selfless; In March when I was sick, Paul was willing to drive himself to Orlando to be by my side putting his own life at risk, but that’s how my brother loved… UNCONDITIONALLY. He was humble, never arrogant. He was the communicator within the family. He kept all the generations connected. He called to remind each of us of each other’s birthday, even from his hospital bed. Now who will wear his hat? We were not ready, not prepared to fill the gap. We are lost.

             We will miss him dearly; that cute lopsided smile and deep gut laugh that has been his signature since childhood, even the way he flung his head back at times with laughter. The smile that never went away despite his journey through dialysis, transplant, and numerous hospitalizations. Ask him how he is? “God is good. Can’t complain” he would say. Sometimes he would also say, “Thank God the numbers are better today”. Yes, my twin is gone from this life but the memories of when you cried to be in my class, our time spent in Guys Hill with Mama, the times in Duhaney Park with our cousins, and the dozens of ripe bananas we bought at Spanish Town market and ate them all without sharing will never be forgotten. I have watched my brother evolved from a mischievous “hard ears” youth to a soft spoken, sensitive, kind, humble person who has positively impacted the lives of many.

            On July 7, 2022, Paul passed away in Kingston, Jamaica. He is survived by his mother Leita Virgo-Williams, Fiancée Sophia Loreen Powell. Daughters: Raquel, Julianne, Rochelle, Stephanie & Sabrina. Sons: Paul Jr., Michael & Filmore. Brothers: Chedy, Dave, Kenroy & Hilton. Sisters: Sonia & Pat. 9 grandchildren, Aunts, Uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and colleagues. Paul is preceded in death by his father Filmore Fitzroy Munroe, his son Antonio “Courtney” Munroe, sister Jean Munroe and grandparents.

My heart is rent asunder; a life of love, joy and reminiscence is over. Ecclesiastes 12:7 says, “When a man dies the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.” So, sleep on my dear sweet brother, sleep on my brother who did not know how to say no. Sleep until the trumpet sounds and the dead in Christ shall rise again.