Rupert Rettie

Rupert George Rettie of Queens Village NY - a beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and uncle - passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family, on Friday February 17th, 2023, at the age of 82.

Rupert was born on March 10th, 1940, in Aenon Town, Clarendon, Jamaica. He was the third child born to Eric and Gertrude Reittie and had a total of fourteen siblings. Growing up, Rupert was rambunctious, and for some reason had a liking for river sand.

In 1957, at age 17, he left Jamaica for London, England, where he lived with his sisters, Sonia and Hazel, and his brothers, Maurice, and Guy (Lascelles). Pursuing his love for cars, Rupert found work as an auto body paint sprayer at a garage on Wilsden High Street. He later met his lifelong partner, Lena Beswick.

In the mid-70s, Rupert and Lena emigrated to the United States, where they married and spent the rest of their lives in New York. They lived in the Bronx for a number of years, and then settled in Queens with their sons Geo, and Roger. Rupert found a job at the infamous Detroit Auto Body Shop in Manhattan, where he shared his unique auto body repair style and techniques with his colleagues.

Rupert was always great with his hands; as well as being an efficient mechanic, he had mastered DIY skills, building a shed from scratch and even a custom bathroom for his wife. He was also passionate about birds and built a cage to keep four parakeets which were his favorite breed, and at some point, his four parakeets had grown to fifteen. In old photos of Rupert, you will always notice that he was smartly dressed, from his haircut down to his shoes; you would rarely see him in anything casual. He had such deep love for his family, constantly asking about their wellbeing, reaching out to them, and saving photos of them which he would be happy to share with others. He was one of the kindest and most generous people you could ever know and made himself available to anyone who needed him. His love, which never wavered, was felt by all, and his humor kept people laughing all throughout his life. His passing has left a painful void in the hearts of those who loved him, but we are thankful for the life he lived, and the memories created and shared. His family is forever grateful for the care and dedication he was given towards the end of his life by his caregivers Elie, Donna, and Dennis.

Rupert leaves behind his five children: Marlene, Ian, Neal, Geo, and Roger, and their spouses, Gloria, Carlene, Sherrie, and Marcie, respectively; his seven sisters: Sonia, Hazel, Flavia, Gen, Allison, Marie (Lois), and Heather-Ann; his two brothers, Bas and Patrick; his twelve grandchildren: Natasha-Marie, Nathan, Nicholas, Ian Jr, Jaeden, Maria, Julian, Kayla, Jordan, Taylor, Roger II, and Cameron; two great-grandchildren: Jaeda-Marie and Jaxon; and the mothers of his older children: Eleise Oliver, mother of Marlene; Nola Maxwell, mother of Ian; and Hope Elaine Parnther, mother of Neal. He also leaves behind a host of nieces and nephews, cousins, friends, and their families.

Rupert rejoins his family in heaven, including his wife Lena, his sisters, Norma and Sybil; his brothers, Guy, Maurice, and Eric (Rixie).

He will be sorely missed.