EULOGY FOR CLIVE BERTRAM ALEXANDER HENRY
DECEMBER 2, 1942 --- MARCH 22, 2005
Growing Up in Somerset St. Andrew, Jamaica
Clive Bertram Alexander Henry was born to the late Rhoda and Alexander Henry in Somerset St. Andrew, Jamaica on December 2, 1942. Clive was the eighth of twelve children.
From his very early days he displayed a certain inquisitive and philosophical slant of mind. For example, as he watched others older than himself begin school and were sent home because they were too young, with great concern he asked “What if I should go to school and they tell me that I am ‘too full’ what would happen to me?” If he is too young he will be able to go to school in the future, but if he is “too full”, he is finished.
At age six, he started at the Somerset Elementary School where he managed to absorb enough to set him in good standing to cope with life and to become fairly successful. At school he was a concert performer, fierce protector of his siblings, one who provided for his siblings and other relatives. By the time he reached age fourteen, he had lived for periods of time with all his godparents. After elementary school, he became a fairly restless youth seeking ways he could find a career.
In his youth he was very strong, with great determination and the ability to cope with the challenges in his life. His great strength and his ability to lift heavy weights earned him the nickname Jungle King. Jungle King was a famous market truck designed to carry heavy farm loads from rural areas to Kingston.
Later on in his teenage years, he went to a place called Llandewey where he attempted learning tailoring. He did not get very far because of the harsh circumstances he encountered. He often told us that that the tailors wife did not like him. Shortly after leaving Llandewey, he went off to Kingston to seek a better way of living.
Living in Kingston, Jamaica……
In Kingston he worked as a part-time waiter and handyman at the Seventh-day Adventist Andrews Memorial Hospital as waiter and did everything else that needed to be done. He did everything he could to support himself and other relatives who were trekking into Kingston.
After Andrews Hospital he went to an English man by the name of David Barraclough who ran a construction business. Barraclough taught him the auto mechanic trade. Clive was a round the island driver for Barraclough even before he had a driver’s licence. A week after he finally got his driver’s licence he had an accident involving a prominent lawyer. Charged with careless driving, he was charged 12 pounds in court. The company refused to assist with legal representation or in paying the fine. When Barraclough requested his assistance in providing a statement for insurance claim, Clive agreed, providing he was paid exactly 12 pounds to provide the statement!
Clive went on to work as a taxi driver, a J.O.S bus driver, a deliveryman for the Gleaner newspaper company, among other jobs. As a taxi driver, he built a map of the city of Kingston in his head getting to know every nook and cranny of the city. He also gathered a host of friends out of kindness and generosity and even after he migrated to Canada taxi driver friends would still turn up at 44 Waltham Waltham Park Road, the “family headquarters” where they used to meet with Clive as base.
He never gave up trying for both himself and his siblings when they were confronted with difficult times, instead, he would find a solution right away without being asked twice or even at all. When his youngest sister Annie and his niece Beulah called Mercy came to Kingston at the age of sixteen to train as practical nurses, he immediately assumed the father role. He constantly checked on them. When the training plan in a nursing home did not work out as planned, Clive personally went to get his sister and niece and took them to his one rented room in August town.
When things got rough, he was there for them even if it meant sleeping in his taxi several nights so they could have his bed. He would never put up with too much nonsense, nor tolerate any intruders in his family affairs. If you dare, you would realize that he could be as cool as cucumber, yet as fierce as a wild cat.
Music was a strong part of his life. Clive was one of the best whistlers and he loved to sing songs like “O Danny Boy” and very often he would be singing his favorite religious songs. He played the mouth organ very well. Like his father, Alexander, he loved to dance and did that beautifully. Shortly before he became ill, he rented a saxophone and began to teach himself to play the instrument. Failing health force him to abandon this enterprise, which meant so much to him.
Clive acquired many aliases during his life because of who he was and what he did. His taxi friends nicknamed him the name “Capo”. As taxi driver Clive was often hired to transport clients to a famous spiritualist named Capo and so he came to be called Capo himself.
Clive’s life has been one of the most eventful and colourful you could think of. Since he was so positive and strong, most people were attracted to him and wanted to interact with him. His friendliness spread far in Kingston everyone. Clive met his future wife Carmen Cummings while both were working at the JOS bus company and through thick and thin, they stuck it out until for 31 years, as the marriage vow says, “till death do us part”. Carmen hails from Grange Hill, Westmoreland. Like Clive she had come into the city insearch of the proverbial greener pasture. They found each other!
Clive became closely integrated into the Cummings family. He and Carmen’s father, whom everybody called ‘Pops’, were more like brothers than son in law and father in law. Once when Clive, the auto mechanic, had rehabilitated Pops old car which had not been serviced for a long time Pops was so pleased with his son in laws work that he announced, “this car stay so good now it can run without gas.” A young man who heard him and was given the car to drive drove the vehicle until it shut off. His explanation? Pops said the car could now run without gas and so he hadn’t put any in!
Clive would say behind her back that Carmen was the only woman that he had never asked to leave him – and he never left her --- because he needed to have her and could never do without her. They were so tightly bonded together that nothing, not even their stormy disagreements, no outside charmer, no poverty, no prosperity – nothing-- could ever separate them. If there was a man proud of his woman Clive was that man. Clive and Carmen were living examples of fulfilling that part of the marriage vow, which says, “till death do us part.”
His greatest ambition was to have enough to look after his family- not just his immediate family members but other relatives and friends. In Kingston, he became the father to all of them.
We remember Clive for his physical strength, his high energy, his courage, his kindness, his ability to find humour in everyday life and his determination to survive and to do well. His philosophy was “Live and let others live”. All of us gathered here can attest to his great kindness and love for people. Children and the aged were special to him. They loved him and he loved them.
Clive loved to laugh. Even in the pain of his final illness, Clive was still cracking jokes and laughing at jokes. He would laugh so vigorously it was hard to believe that he was a dying man.
Celebrating Life in Canada…..
In the Fall of 1972, Clive arrived in Canada to pursue a better life in Canada. In 1975, his wife, Carmen Henry migrated to Canada to support him in his dream. Their first three children, Ricardo, Clive Jr. and Marsha were left in his mother’s care until they could join their parents in their new country. Clive, Carmen and the ‘Jamaican’ children became naturalized Canadian citizens and the other children were born here. Years later his mother Rhoda to whom he was greatly devoted was given a trip to Canada. Clive wanted all his family to visit them in Canada and many made the pilgrimage.
Initially, the family lived at Clinton St. at Bloor and Bathurst St., then moved to Jane St. where they lived for about four years. After this, the family set up residence at 2737 Kipling Avenue, Apt #109, which is officially coined as the ‘Henry Shrine’. After thirteen years of building long lasting relationships and being involved in the community, namely original member of Elmbank Cricket Club, serving as a board member of the North Albion community project to assess the needs of the under-privileged youth in the community and needed a facility to nurture and build the interest of the youth in the Rexdale community. As a result, of his involvement in the project the north kipling community center was built.
Clive worked at the Bruckhouse factory in Brampton. After being laid off, he worked at ITT Milrod, which made car parts. He did a little farming, cleaning houses, and quickly picked up the cement trade as a cement Mason. As a cement finisher he helped to build the Ford and GM plants, many schools in the GTA, a seniors home in Kitcheners, and a nursing home at Branson. His last child Louis joined him in the cement finishing trade during his last stint of work. Father taught son and both were a tightly knit work team on construction sites.
Clive again became actively involved in the Mount Olive congregation of the Seventh-day Adventist church, the faith of his childhood taught to him by a godly mother. In August of 2003, Clive decided to make one the most important commitments in his life, a commitment that would help him through his final struggles and tribulations. He decided to give his life to the Lord in baptism at Mount Olive SDA church. Even the pastor of the church thought that he was already a baptized member because of his active engagement with the life of the church. Clive poured his energies into serving the Lord as he did everything else. He shared his faith with zest. His long-standing mechanic said Clive was the only man who came to his shop and called everybody to prayer.
In December 1998 He was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He underwent surgery. Early the following year one of his younger brothers, Lawrence, died. Still recovering from surgery and against doctor’s orders, Clive turned up in Jamaica with his faithful wife Carmen by his side for the funeral! He would have to be dead himself or unable to move not to be with the family for his brother’s funeral.
In July 2003 after experiencing headaches for a few months, he was once again diagnosed with cancer recurring. The cancer had metastasized into the bone and beyond.
True to his nature, Clive fought back with all his might. A small army of care givers worked with him during his illness. We want to thank these professionals, everyone, for the kindness and care lavished upon Clive Bertram Alexander Henry during his most difficult days. Clive traveled a lot to keep in touch with the family. Back home to Jamaica, to the United States and to England. Once a year he would pack the van and drive the family to Florida to see Carmen’s family stopping in New York to see friends and other family members.
The year 2001 was special for travel and family connections. Perhaps sensing that he did not have much more time, he traveled to England to attend the weddings of a niece and a nephew and to see all the family there. Carmen, of course, was by his side.
Later the same year he was in Jamaica for the wedding of another of his many nieces and to fulfill a dream. With a group of family members Clive although not well participated in a grueling three-day wrap around the island wanting to see his native country another time. He visited his grandparents and parents graves in the St. Andrew mountains although this meant a slow and wearying climb up where cars could not go. But he was satisfied from reconnecting with the space and people of his childhood.
As Clive’s health declined, like a magnet, he drew family, friends and church brethren to his home and bedside. Sylwood crescent in Maple had a constant stream of visitors from Jamaica, the United States, England, and here in Canada. When sisters came from Jamaica and were stuck in the kitchen with cooking, Clive would call down in his still strong voice, “Is come you come to cook or to look after me?” Clive was a man of the immediate.
He succumbed to the illness on March 22, 2005, at home surrounded by wife, children, pastor and care givers. While prayer was made, Clive went to sleep without a struggle and now waits resurrection morning
Clive has left behind a loving and dedicated wife, Carmen Henry, 8 children (Ricardo, Clive Jr., Marsha, Natasha, Kurt, Simone, Nicole and Louis. Eleven grandchildren, (Shareen, Tyrell, Jamal, Deja, Derico, Brianna, Tianna, Troy, Tayvon, Mikella, and Delove). And Siblings Rudolph (Coda); Lucy (Carmie), Antoinette; Nelly - Septimus; Dorothy (Onie) – Frederick; Eric-Joyce; Reginald-Eulalee; Ephraim (John); Lloyd –Beverly; Aneita-Conroy; Martin-Jacqueline; Nieces, Nephews, Cousins, other relatives, church brothers and sisters and many, many friends.