Eulogy for the late Wellington George Gayle
It was a week before Christmas on December 18 In the year 1943 when Elfreda Turner other wise called (Miss Tiny)and Eric Gayle Bredda Gayle welcomed A handsome baby boy into this world. They named him Wellington George Gayle otherwise call Teddy. Oh what a pride and joy he brought into the family as the family was and still being blessed with mostly girls. Teddy as he was affectionately called was raised in the rural community of rose apple Cambridge St. James by his mother and late grandmother Zellea Daley.
As a child Teddy was very quiet and did the usual things a typical Jamaican boy child would do. Climbing breadfruit and mango trees, picking coconut and would frequent Mass Asher yard despite the many trashing Miss Tiny would inflict to stay at home.
He got his formal education At the Cambridge elementary School and mastered the basic math and English. At the age of 18 Teddy migrated to Kingston and gained employment as a meat cutter and fell in love with pearl Simmons. 3 years later Miss Tiny got the news that no mother would want to hear that her precious son was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Immediately Miss Tiny journeyed to Kingston and took home her son. But the entire family was in for a surprise Miss Tiny didn’t only take home Teddy she took home Teddy’s one and only child Michelle who was only 3weeks old at the time.
Over the years Teddy was loved spoiled and well taken care by his family despite his mental disorders. Teddy yuh alright? Yes but mi want one wata boots he was famous for wearing water boots rain or shine. Teddy was a protector he loved his family dearly he had a name for everyone in the family, Chenee was shelane, Connie was Con con, Tj was Pj. (Teddy georgette rooster joke) Teddy was sick for over 56 years but remained humble even when he had his many mental breakdowns. During those episodes Teddy had his signature sound of a revving truck he was well know and remembered in the community for that signature sound.
Teddy proved that he never lost his touch with nature, he had a thing for farming. He specialized in banana and yam cultivation. He reaped some of the biggest yams and bananas I’ve ever seen.
Late last year Teddy was diagnosed with hypertension and diabetes and became bed ridden for most of the time.
On March 6 2021 he was hospitalized at the CRH and died on March 7th. We cannot Lord thy purpose see but all is well that’s done by thee.
Eulogy
Written by Georgette Lee Green (Niece)
Remembrance for the late Wellington George Gayle (Teddy)
Wellington George Gayle (Teddy), a father, grandfather, great-grand father, brother, uncle, grand-uncle, cousin and friend is one that we all can agree on is something not hard to do.
Teddy as known by all was a man of short words but his actions speak greatly of the level of love and tenderness he had for others more so his family which he stuck up for every chance he got; I can vividly remember Connie and I as children one day while at my grandma’s house in Rosemount Cambridge, someone tried bulling us and Teddy saw what was happening, he walked up to the boy grabbed him shook him then pushed him saying “Gah yuh yaad”, then proceeded to run us over off the road. Just to show how protective he really was.
Also, as a child I can remember Teddy every morning bringing Connie to Infant school and would pick us up in the evenings and make sure we were safely home, and he would carry on the trend as he would also pick up Devante from basic school on some days.
Teddy had a nurturing heart as he would care about what was going on in his family’s life and would go and check up on his sisters Durrel and Dorothy on a day-to-day basis sometimes not even saying much to them but just to look in their face and say “Wahappn, yuh ah, right” and would just sit there for some minutes, hours and sometimes spend the entire day.
Teddy had a humble demeanor and would just go with things in a simple calm way, I know most of us family members can honestly say we have never heard Teddy arguing or fuss about anything or with anyone, more so to even hear him raise his voice.
Teddy loved Roseapple and nothing could get him from not calling over there his home. You would see him almost always with a machete in his hand every morning going to bush trying to see if there was any banana and jackfruit to bring to his sisters.
Teddy had a willing personality and would do just about anything to help his family, to sum it all up he was a man of few words so let me keep this short, he was simple in his demeanor you would always see him wearing one of his many hats and rocking his famous water boots.
He will be greatly miss and never forgotten, may his soul rest in eternal peace.
Remembrance
Written by Tejaun East (Tj) (Grand-Nephew)
