Judith Sylvia Carey

Mrs. Judith Sylvia Carey (nee Stewart) was born in Mile Gully, Endeavor District in Manchester, Jamaica on July 29, 1930 to parents Lucille Lawrence-Reid and Eustace Stewart. Judith was the middle child of three children. Her two siblings Earl Reid and Enid Halsall predeceased her in 1955 and 2003 respectively.

Judith attended Coley Mountain Elementary School in Endeavor, Manchester.

At 19 years old Judith moved out on her own. She first moved to Mandeville, then to Kingston, then to Above Rocks, St. Catherine and then back to Kingston. When she moved to Above Rocks she met and married Albert Carey. Albert worked with the Farm Worker Program in South Florida as a cane cutter for several years, and in 1969 he received his permanent residency to live in the USA. Judith joined him in 1972 in Belle Glade, Florida, and her four youngest children joined them three years later.

Albert Carey predeceased her in 2008. Mom was blessed not having to bury any of her children or grandchildren in her lifetime. Today all her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are grateful to God that we are here as a family to bid Mom, Grandma, and Great-grandma a loving farewell, as we celebrate her life and her legacy.

Mom loved her children equally. Not only did she shower love on us but on our children and their children. Each birth was a major event for her. Each measure of achievement was a celebration for her. She didn’t have a lot of money to spend, but whatever she had, she lavished on us.

Talk about a grandmother who adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren! That was Mom! She had so much fun with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren! Quick as lightning she would make up a story with some moral value to share with the grandkids as they traveled to school in the mornings. She attended their games and recitals whenever she was able. She even joined in a tug-o-war game at age 82. We were at a picnic and after the teams were in place and ready to pull the rope, Mom just slipped in and held the rope. Needless to say the opposing side gave up at that juncture. The winner was determined when Mom joined the team.

Judith worked as a cook in Jamaica. She was the chef at St. Mary’s College in Above Rocks, serving and building strong relationships with the priests, nuns, faculty and students. Later she moved to Kingston and worked as a cook at the Nurses Home of the University Hospital of the West Indies. When she left that position to migrate to Florida, her supervisor described her as a team worker, devoted, conscientious, responsible, pleasant, polite and respectful. These qualities formed the bedrock of all her operations in life.

In the USA, there was no difference. She was not afraid to work hard from cleaning homes to working in the fields. Her aim was to help make life easier for her family and friends in America and also in Jamaica. It was common practice for her to send numerous barrels and boxes with gifts to Jamaica. One sometimes would wonder, “ How fi ar likle money stretch suh?”

Education was high priority for Mom, and so in spite of her many jobs, she carved out time to attend classes and achieve her General Educational Development diploma. She continued by earning a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certificate, and worked at many jobs in her latter years in that position. And hear this, even in her eighties Mom was attending night school to sharpen her skills in mathematics and computer skills. It follows then, that her children knew the importance of Continuing Education. As a result they all succeeded in their various fields. Some have attained first degrees and post-graduate degrees.

Mom’s extent of medical training was at the CNA level, yet she showed amazing competence in using that knowledge to monitor her care. So she knew the names and purpose of each medication, and the dosage of her numerous pills.

Even after Mom reached the stipulated retirement age, she was still active, alert, vibrant. In fact, even after her 80th birthday driving on I95 was no big thing for her. In her early eighties she permanently retired. Thus she fulfilled her modus operandi for her life: work hard, support family, support friends, and serve God. A meek woman, she never took any kindness for granted.

Judith accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior before she moved to Florida. She transferred her membership from the Church of Christ in Kingston to an affiliate church in Belle Glade. Later she joined the Church of God in South Bay, and when she moved to West Palm Beach she joined her beloved Greenacres Church Of God Of Prophecy, where she worked in many roles, from the Velma Lane premises to the present location in Greenacres.

Mom had a wit that was as sharp as a tack. Her sense of humor was brilliant. No wonder she could and would have people rolling in laughter. There were certain rituals that became lifestyle for our mother. She had to use her Ponds cream morning and evening, she had to carry her handbag wherever she went, she had to have clothes pins, rubber bands, and safety pins in her purse just in case of emergency.

One aspect of her life that surprised many was her love for wrestling. She ardently watched wrestling on tv and guess what? She copied and practiced the movements as best as she could. The family knew her wrestling schedule, and knew that it would be unwise to call during those times because you would be totally ignored.

Upon hearing of someone’s death, Mom would wisely say, “He/she is just gone on before us.” Well, Judith has just gone on before us. She finished her race well. She’s absent from the body. She’s present with the Lord. Amen!

Mama leaves behind, her large family of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to carry on her legacy of steadfast dedication to the work of the Lord.

The six children are: Cecelia (Desmond), Roseann, Winsome (Paul), Carl (Rina), Audrey, and Josephine.

She was then blessed with 16 grandchildren: Sheldon, Andre (Coline), Claude (Rachel), Kelly-Ann, Danyelle, Jermaine, Tiffany (Devon), Teresa, Stephen, Michael (Olivia), Carl Jr., Keith (Lilian), Kesean, Keon ,Joquetta (Frank), and Joshea (Antonio); 15 great-grandchildren: Cadence, Caylee, Amari, Ahmad, Jessica (Alvin), Tyler, Autumn, Keith Jr., Keonna, Kamoran, Kalon, Jomarah, Joey, Journey, Kai; and one great-great- grandchild (Aryn) whose birth we are expecting soon.

There are numerous other family members in America, Canada, England and Jamaica: Letsy, Shurla, Collin, Paul, Debbie, Brenda, Bridgette, Geordon, Aja, Amy, Elaine, Owen (Donna) Wendon, Claudette, Derrick, Dawn, Gwen, Joy (Raymond), Patricia (Wesley), Winston (Myrtle), Owen, Velma, Carol (Cedric), Yvonne, Yvette, John, Donna, Stephanie, Nicola, Krista, Ryan, Sasha, Dale, Camay, Nicole, Havia, Marsha Kay, Kareen, Ramon, Siomara, Kash, Shana and others.

Her network of friends and prayer partners, include church-planting leaders in Kenya, Myanmar, Togo, Nigeria, Tanzania and India. Similarly, her monikers have increased over the years to Mom, Momma, Mommy, Momma, Grandma, Nana, GG, Aunt Juds, Aunt Judith, Miss Slvie, and Mrs. Carey.

Thank God “She did not hide from her children the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.” Ps. 78:4.

Thank God, “He taught her ever since she was young, and she constantly declared his marvelous works.” Ps. 71:17.

Thank God, she lived by this motto, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, because she knew it was the will of God for her in Christ Jesus.” 1Thess. 5:16- 18.

May her soul rest in eternal peace as she rests in the arms of Jesus.

A visitation for Judith will be held Friday, May 20, 2022 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Dorsey-E. Earl Smith Memory Gardens Funeral Home, 3041 Kirk Road, Lake Worth, FL 33461. A viewing will occur Saturday, May 21, 2022 at 9:30 AM at First Baptist Church of Wellington, 12700 West Forest Hill Blvd, Wellington, FL 33414. A funeral service will occur Saturday, May 21, 2022 at 10:00 AM at First Baptist Church of Wellington, 12700 West Forest Hill Blvd, Wellington, FL 33414.

A committal service will occur Saturday, May 21, 2022 at 1:00 PM at Lake Worth Memory Gardens, 3041 Kirk Road, Lake Worth, FL 33461. A repast - following entombment will occur Saturday, May 21, 2022 at 2:00 PM at Greenacres Church of God of Prophecy, 116 Broward Ave, Greenacres, FL 33463. A following repast will occur at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park, 11600 Poinciana Blvd, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.dorsey-smithmemorygardens.com for the Carey family.