Kelda Roslyn Cole

Kelda Roslyn James Cole, affectionately called Mama, Granny Cole, Sister Cole, was born on February 28, 1917 at Beacon District, in the Parish of St. Elizabeth, to Mary Althea Barrett and Kaleb James. Her father left for Cuba, with one of his siblings, when her mother was three months pregnant with her. At the tender age of three months, Mama was taken to her grandmother, Bernella Taylor James, in Billys Bay, Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, who raised her and her Sister Earline. 

She attended the Sandy Banks Primary School in St. Elizabeth. After giving birth to her first child, Hambert Smith, Kelda’s life was to change forever when she joined the Assemblies of God Church in Spanish Town, St Catherine and conducted a series of revival services in Treasure Beach. She gave her heart to the Lord in St. Catherine. It was also during those revival services that she was to meet her future husband, Daniel Cole, Dada. The young couple got married, and were blessed with their first child, Mercia, while living in Spanish Town.

They later relocated to Caymanas Estate where Dada worked at the sugar mills. It was at Caymanas that their fortunes improved. She and Dada took many from Treasure Beach to Caymanas, and gave them their starts in life.

They would then go on to purchase land in Central Village and build a home. She had a branch of the Assemblies of God Church built there, she also mothered over 40 “children” in that home, and took her ill father home from Cuba to live with her until he passed.

In 1970, Dada passed. Mama continued her mission. She sold a piece of prime estate that her father left her in Treasure Beach and bought two mini buses. Kelda was generous with her earnings from the buses, she gave away money to the less fortunate daily.

Kelda knew the secret of a long life, she began her days with just a cup of black coffee with a pinch of salt. Mama was funny too, telling us so many jokes and she always wanted to marry off her grandsons once they brought home a female.

In 1989 Kelda migrated to the US to live with her daughter Mercia, and to be close to her son Hambert. She would live out the rest of her long life there.

On Thursday, December 31, 2020, Mama went home to be with the lord.

She is survived by her brother, children, grandchildren, great grand children, great great grand children, nieces, nephews, and a host of other relatives and friends.