Born in Kingston, Jamaica, attended Alpha Catholic Boy's school run by nuns, and at a tender age of 10-years old, migrated to London, UK, with his mother, Winnifred Small, to experience a life of better opportunity.
Vernal attended Wandsworth Technical College in London, where he studied and pursued a career as an Electrical Technician, and also took an apprenticeship chef course at the prestigious Selfridges Department Store. Vernal loved to be in the kitchen, and made the traditional holiday turkey, a mean jerk chicken barbecue, Jamaican Christmas rum cakes, and his favorite dishes Swedish meatballs and ackee and salt fish, with festival. Yeah mon!
In 1964, Vernal married the love of his life, Barbara, and they built a beautiful life together, raising three wonderful children, lan, Joy, and Mark. In the Spring of 1970, they moved with their two children, Ian, and Joy, from London, England and made their permanent move to Port Coquitlam, B.C.
Vernal worked as an electrician for major Canadian companies. His first job was at the Canadian National Railway (CNN), providing maintenance to trains, and later at MacMillan and Bloedel, Pulp and Paper Mill, in Port Alberni, B.C. He provided electrical services to many industrial and residential places, such as the Vancouver Court House, YVR International airport, Royal Columbian hospital, and Street of Dreams luxury homes, installing security systems, lighting, and later ventured to own his business, Ver-Bar Electric and Ace Electric. Over the years, he mentored and provided many employment opportunities to both men and women, and refugees, in the electrical field. Providing others the ability to obtain electrical certification.
Vernal was a 'jack of all trades', a contractor of two of our family homes. If there was something to build, create, or fix he had the knack to read a manual and learn by his own intuition. He was always willing to help family and friends, many projects done gratuitous. He ventured to Jamaica in 1997, to assist with the build of his mother-in-laws, 'Grandma GG' home in Runaway Bay, Jamaica, and would often take several trips throughout the year to Oceanside, CA, to assist his daughter, Joy, with many home improvement projects.
Vernal was very hands on with his family, and ensured all three children were well-rounded and exposed to the Jamaican culture, music, a variety of sports, hobbies, travel and weekend camping trips. As his grandson, Joshua would say: "Gramps was tough with a purpose", teaching his grandchildren a life lesson, a skill, or a project, always followed by a reward at days end. Trips to the skate park, ice skating, tennis, kite flying, or a little shopping spree. Gramps was ensured his grandchildren all felt loved.
Vernal had a love for his reggae music, and would often be playing his music, sipping on his Red Stripe, or Appleton rum, whistling and tapping on the rim of his glass, gesturing to his loved ones to "get up and dance" to a little reggae or soca music.
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