Violet Fisher

Violet Fisher née Bell was born in the district of Georges Hope in the Parish of St Mary, Jamaica, on December 13th 1924, to Clifford Bell and Merlin Leith. Vie or Mama as she was affectionately known to family and friends, attended school and church while living with her Grandmother, Charlotte Bell in Georges Hope. Granny Charlotte was very hardworking and from her Violet was taught the discipline and merits of diligent work, homemaking skills, and the essential moral values and virtues such as kindness, obedience, respect for others, and helping others in need . With these training of life skills and virtues from her Granny Charlotte, Violet migrated to Kingston to rejoin her mother Merlin where she attended St. Francis All Age Catholic School while also learning to become a seamstress.

With these foundational skills from parents and school she found it amicable to work in various job situations. The most rewarding and prestigious job experience in her young adult life was working for the wife of the Governor of Jamaica Sir. Hugh Foot. Yet her commitment and love for her aging Grandmother Charlotte and father Clifford, had her traveling back and forth on every off the job opportunity to see to the welfare of the parents that had raised her. Providence had it that during one of these many trips she met the ‘love’ of her life, a handsome bus driver, Winston Samuel Fisher. They were both blessed to have their vow of Holy Matrimony taken on the grounds of Kings House, St. Andrew Jamaica, the very home of her employers, the Governor and his wife, who loved Violet and treated her like a gift sent from heaven to minister to them.

Their union produced nine children. As a faithful wife and nurturer of this large family, Violet managed to work a 9-5 job at the Bellevue Hospital in the capacity of Laundry Mistress. However Violet did not rest there, but sought out various opportunities to supplement her income to help provide for her family. Her resilience, faith and determination led her to receive the opportunity to migrate to the United States of America, being sponsored by an employer in Boston, Massachusetts. From there she worked ceaselessly for a number of years and was soon able to sponsor her husband, children and later on many other relatives to the United States. Violet went on to build a long and successful career in the field of Healthcare. Places of employment included the Jewish Memorial Hospital where as a Nursing Assistant, she received numerous accolades from employers, co-workers and patients for her diligent work, caring attitude and her generous nature. Violet’s love and kindness for humanity extended to many people, especially children in crisis all over the world by sending monetary donations to different charities.

After this spell of hard labor and toil through the cold and frigid weather of Boston, in 1984 Violet and her husband Winston migrated south to the warmer weather of Sunrise Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to build a new family home. There they both became members of the First Baptist Church of Sunrise Florida, where they worshiped and fellowshipped with other people from the Caribbean.

Violet is preceded in death by her husband Winston at age 97, her mother, grandmother and four of her siblings. She is survived by her sister Alva Bennett 92 years of age and her brother Oswald Bell 88 years of age. She is also survived by her 9 children: Lorene Snape, Ainsley Fisher, Lorna Denton, Valerie Phillpotts, Oliver Fisher, Pauline Fisher, Rosemarie Fisher, Eugene Fisher and Donna McFarland. Other survivors include 33 Grandchildren, 67 Great Grandchildren, and 6 Great- Great Grandchildren.