Delmena Veronica Bryan

Delmena was born in Victoria Jubilee Hospital, Kingston Jamaica on the 14th of December 1943. Her parents, Gertrude Rowe and Gerald Murray had initially named her Theresa Victoria Murray, but she fell ill at one week old and was re-hospitalized.  When the Roman Catholic priest and sisters from Old Harbour visited her, they carried the news of a vision about a name change. The name given was Delmena Veronica. Delmena was the eldest of the seven children of Gertrude Rowe.

She lived in Old Harbour, St. Catherine Parish for her first three years, then migrated to the parish of Manchester to live with her maternal grandmother, Sophia Thompson, where she began her education. Delmena relocated to Old Harbour at age seven, where her formal education continued at the Old Harbour Primary and All Age School.  After successfully completing her secondary education, she enrolled in the higher learning business school in Kingston to pursue a business diploma. Delmena aspired to be the Postmaster General in her hometown and an educator.

However, God had a different plan. Delmena’s life changed when she became a mother of her beautiful daughter Carol Myton, affectionately known as Debbie. Delmena then met and married Alexander Bryan, her wonderful husband and father of 10 of her 11 children: Beverly, Preston, Judith, Glen, Andrea, Ruth, Rose, Annmarie, Nordia and Sacha.   

Delmena immigrated to the US in the 1980’s, working and living in New York and New Jersey before retiring to Florida in the late 1990’s. She has resided in Sunrise near several of her children and grandchildren for the last 26 years.

Delmena was a faithful prayer warrior and a devout follower of Jesus Christ. Her faith carried her through many trials and was the source of her great strength. She never wavered in her faith. She had the most firm foundation. We often think of her when the Sunday sermon is about building a life on a rock of belief in Jesus. Matthew 7:14 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on a rock”. Her legacy will be that she passed on rock solid faith to her children and the entire family! She touched many lives and will be greatly missed. We know that her soul will rest in peace. We will all remember her strength of character, her devotion to family, plus her great faith and trust in God.

Delmena is survived by her eleven children, five sons-in law, two daughters-in-law, twenty-one grandchildren, and three great grandchildren; her six siblings, Madge, Joanie, Tiny, Pauline, Roy and Leonard: numerous nieces and nephews, and other family members and friends. She is preceded in death by her husband, Alexander Bryan, her parents, Gertrude Rowe and Gerald Murray and two sons-in laws.

A Celebration of Life Gathering will be held at the Faith Center, 5555 NW 95th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33351 on Saturday November 11, 2023 at 10:00 A.M.   Arrangements are by Fred Hunters Funeral Home, 6301 Taft Street, Hollywood, FL 33024.

Rest well Mom. We love you dearly.