Tribute
Staff, Family, Friends and Clergy.
Thank you for the honour and opportunity to share a few words.
The essence of love and devotion I couldn’t ask for a better grandma. Together with my Nanny in Nova Scotia you were the perfect partnership in raising me. I’m Toronto born, I’m of Jamaican and Maroon blood, War of 1812 decedent, Canadian. These Toronto streets, this very chapel are where my most earliest memories were made.
I can remember like yesterday, it’s Friday afternoon, recess I’m in grade 5 and I’m beyond excited knowing by dinner that evening I’ll be at Jane and Woolner with the best stew chicken in the world together with my cousins we were so lucky to have you. Your love, care and wisdom a constant unrelenting steady and strong the rock we could all depend on.
You were so much fun, you loved me, you loved your friends, family , grandchildren and most of all god he was always first in your life, he was your amazing grace. I’ll forever be grateful for your compassion and positive energy, your confidence and hardworking example. The determination, resilience and your exceptional sense of humor, I’ll miss our conversations and the sound of your laughter. Grandma I love you very much and I’m thankful to have had your love and influence in my life. I’ll always honour and remember the lessons you shared, until we meet again.
– Jerome L. Downey, Grandson
Myrna Loy Williams Tribute Video
Benediction
Grandma
Good afternoon.
It is my honour to speak to you today on behalf of my grandmother. She was born, raised and schooled in the parish of St Mary, Jamaica. On December 30th, 1973 she was granted her landed immigrant status here in Canada. As you all know her children include my Aunt Rose, Uncle Dave and my Dad Dane. She has several siblings that she would tell endless stories about on a regular basis I could never keep up.
She is so much a part of who I am that even though I knew she would one day leave us, I can’t quite believe she is gone. She was always a present part of our everyday lives in such a tangible way. She was truly the matriarch of this family.
My grandmother wore many hats and I mean literally…. we each had a name for her wither it was , sister, ma, mum, mama, grandma or Miss Myrna. As a child I would call her blue grandma alongside my mothers mom pink grandma. I remember how excited she was when I shared a I was expecting, my first baby. Great-grandma was too hard to say, so she became known as gigi. The kind of love my Grandma felt for us was love without condition. My cousins and I would be with our grandmother every weekend…. it was our weekly link up for as long as I can remember. Some of my greatest memories with her include the bus church trips, pathfinders and her amazing dishes which I’m sure you will hear mentioned. Rocky and I would put on her church dresses and spin around the living room attaching toilet paper to a pencil performing with Jerome and Shae being the judges.
She may not have approved of everything we did, may not have liked some of the decisions we made, but she kept loving us, letting us know that she was there and if we ever needed her, we could count on her to listen, to comfort…. even help. She could be stubborn and strongly defend her own opinions especially when it came to what she was NOT allowed to eat however it didn’t take much to make her happy – a phone call, a card, a visit, a kiss before saying good night, watching the raptors or even watching one of her favorite movies the bodyguard. We were the most important people in the world to her. She lived to make our lives better and was extremely proud of every single one of us.” She lived a Christian life, trusted her faith and love for the Lord to provide for her needs, and he did.
I think that Grandma has prayed for almost everyone in this room hundreds of times. Her prayers were extremely long growing up because she would name every single person individually. She was always happy to encounter with others and this of course meant that she had another person to pray for. I remember her telling me several times that she prayed for me daily, and I am sure that many of you can say the same. She has been a great spiritual guide, and inspiration for many of us. My grandmother was baptized with West Toronto Seventh Day Adventist Church the 27th of April 1991. Many of her accomplishments include being selected as a church deacon, spiritual and religious care at the youth assessment center, prison ministry where of course she added more people to to her personal prayer list and those are just to name a few.
That constant loving presence she gave really shapes a person. There was magic in my grandmothers touch and sunshine in her smile. there was love in everything she did to make our lives worthwhile. We found both hope and courage just by loving in her eyes. Her laughter was a source of joy, her words warm and wise. There was a kindness and compassion found in her embrace. Your love for us is definitely unmatched… We love you…. I love you and until we meet again sleep peacefully mama.
– Krista N. Latendresse, Granddaughter
Celebrating the Life of Myrna Loy Williams
Sunrise: June 4, 1937 – Sunset: March 28, 2022
Funeral services for Myrna Loy Williams
Toronto West Seventh Day Adventist Church
Toronto, Canada
Thursday, April 21, 2022
10 a.m.