It is an honor to stand before you all and share my precious memories of my grandmother.  She will be missed by everyone, but she will live on within us forever.

I love you so much grandma! So much more than words can say. I look forward to your journey as my guardian angel!

Thank You. 

She ventured farther as well to always go and visit her favorite sister Marge and family in Sacramento, by taking the greyhound.  I was fortunate to take these trips with her numerous times and my sister would come along as well once she got older.  

My grandmother lived with my sister, brother and I since I was a baby until I was about 17 years old.  Everyday for a little over half my life my grandmother was right there.  Looking out for me and my siblings.  Made sure we were fed, even got us all addicted to drinking tea, the English way.  Back when I was 17 I thought the hardest thing I had to do when it came to my grandma was saying goodbye to her when she moved to Uncle Marks’.  It hurt so much that at the time I felt I had lost a piece of myself.  Elaina cried so much, she had to sleep with a photo of her to help her fall asleep at night for months after. But, here today this goodbye is the hardest one yet.  

These were just a few memories of millions I have of my grandma. I could go on and on but that would take more time than we have here today.

Some of you may have noticed that I referred to my grandma in the present tense.  I want to share one last lesson she taught me.  That our bodies are just vessels our soul uses temporarily while we are here on Earth. But our souls are everlasting. So even though she is not physically here with us anymore.  She is here with us in spirit forever! And I will continue to speak to you everyday. Continuing to share my life with you always.

Grandma, thank you for every single memory. Every single lesson, every encouraging word.  Thank you for always pushing me to do better by believing in me and telling me that I can do anything. Thank you for never leaving my side, and being my angel here on earth.

She also gave back, be it with her tithes and offerings but also with her time with events like helping feed the needy at church.

Her biggest rule in life was isto pray and let God guide you.  My most memorable moment of this lesson was when I confided in her first to tell that I was pregnant with my oldest and had no idea how to tell my parents or what to do. But she told me to pray and God will tell me exactly what I needed to do.  Not after starting with her famous statement, “Oh Lord.”  Her words are always honest, encouraging and not judging.  

Something I know we all miss so gratefully is her amazing cooking.  A true fitting trait as grandmother was she always had the kitchen overflowing with the sweet aromas from her hometown. Anything from curry goat, gumbo, red beans and dumpling stew, her delicious fried chicken, her sweet potato pie at Thanksgiving and Christmas and my favorite her Rum Raisin Cake, She hated that I would sneak and grab a taste of the fermenting batter, she had in this huge tupperware in the fridge.  Her food was not just delicious but was just that much better cause she filled every dish with lots and lots of Love!! Even her Mackerel with tomatoes and onions.  Fortunately she was able to pass on many of her traditions in the kitchen to her son Mark.  Which I know he cherishes every one of those teaching moments and everytime he cooks one of those dishes.  

    Grandma is one of the strongest people I have ever known. Anything she set her mind to she did it, on her own until she couldn’t.  A big change of being here in the states from England was most people drive here where she took the trolly everywhere.  But she didn’t let that stop her. She learned to take the bus wherever she needed to go.  Even with us “pickney” she would take my sister Elaina and I with her to the swap meet every two weeks to her nails done. She always had her nails and toes looking their best. 

Grandma is not only god-fearing but also has what some would call a feisty side.  But she uses both her faith and strength hand in hand. As she did with her oldest son Mark.  When his faith was tested with the temptation of addiction. With her faith and strength she would go seek her son in places that many of us would fear to visit. But with God on her side she knew she needed to find him to help lead him back to the path he had strayed from. She knew God was with her every step of the way.  Mark not only with the constant push of his mother and the help of his oldest sibling Mona was able to overcome his addiction.  And today he is God-fearing man himself. Growing up I saw that my grandma almost everyday had the TV on the TBN station after watching her morning news and talk shows though. She also always enjoyed listening to her gospel music on her radion while completing her crossword puzzles. Yes crosswords,  did I mention how smart she is. She could answer even the hardest puzzle questions.  It was admiring.  Not sure if you know, but she was also a reader. I found in this small cupboard she always had in our room that was locked with one of those old big vintage looking keys, a book by Johanna Lindsey.  You know one of those romance novels with the “Fabio” looking guy on the front sitting on a horse or something. Most likely had a title like Tender Rebel.  She told me these were books she used to read for fun before she began reading her bible.  Now my grandmother read her bible for as long as I could remember. And she must have read it over hundreds of times. She would underline, highlight, take notes and write down any and all verses she knew meant something.  If you needed a verse for something you were going through she had one.  This helped encourage my passion for reading. She said reading helps build the most powerful tool, knowledge. Not only did she dedicate large portions of her life to the lord by attending church or reading her bible. 

Fearless…. So what does it mean to be fearless? The dictionary defines fearless as lacking fear, but a better definition is to have mastered fear to the point that you become nothing but courageous.  To have the courage and willingness to act in spite of fear.  Fearless is the one word out of a million I chose to best describe, my grandmother, Jean Elaine Aponte.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who came today.  As most of you know I am Tatiana, Jean’s first born granddaughter.  I have had the honor of having her part of my life for almost 30 years. Which I am eternally grateful for. Jean was born August 3, 1939 in Kingston, Jamaica. She is one of 5 children, Carl, John, Lindon and Marjorie who she has now joined in heaven. Jean left her hometown of Kingston, Jamaica to study nursing in England.  Her studies eventually lead her to becoming a RN charge nurse where she oversaw an entire ward in a hospital.  Her amazing services as a nurse lasted about 12 years in England.  Where she was honored and added to the The Register of Nurses with the General Nursing Council for England and Wales.  Upon leaving England to the states she continued her nursing services in various fields. All while caring for her two oldest children Mark and Mona and newborn Tonya.  A few years later after arriving in the states she bore her as she always called her “wash belly child” Anthony.  She is survived by all four of her children Mona, Mark, Tonya and Anthony who are with us here today.  She is grandma to 12 and great grandma to 10.

    Grandma is a God-fearing woman.  She attended church at least every Sunday if not more when she could. Even when she was visiting with other family or friends she found a way to get to church.  She prayed religiously everyday, at the edge of her bed on her knees morning and night, and before every meal. She taught me my first prayer which I have passed on to my own children. 

Grandma there are so many memories I could fill my own book with. Full of life lessons and priceless moments but one I hold so dear to me is watching you be so strong everyday and every waking moment. Looking at life half full, and always pouring your heart into your amazing cooking. Love you Grandma, you were my Angel here on Earth and now you are my eternal Guardian Angel. 💜💜💜

OBITUARY

Jean Elaine Aponte

3 August, 1939 – 2 June, 2020

Pierce Brothers Crestlawn Memorial Park and Mortuary

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