Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/5711/-1
|
The late Dr. Clarence Lloyd: A Free Spirit, Independent Thinker
|
Many relatives, friends and other Anguillians travelled to St. Kitts late last week for the funeral of Dr. Clarence Lloyd on Friday, February 22. The 77-year-old Anguillian Eye Specialist, who was widely loved, admired and respected, died on February 15 at a time when he was still a very active and outgoing personality.
|
|
The late Dr. Lloyd
|
The officiating Ministers at Wesley Methodist Church in Basseterre were Anguillians the Reverend Dr. Wycherley Gumbs who is based in St. Kitts and the Reverend Joseph Lloyd, who were among those who travelled from Anguilla.
The life and work of the late Dr. Lloyd can best be understood here in the words of E. Valentine Banks, Chief Executive Officer of the National Bank of Anguilla, and a relative of the deceased, who delivered the Eulogy as follows:
“Clarence Nathaniel Lloyd affectionately known as “Sonny Lloyd,” was born on August 26, 1930 in The Valley, Anguilla. He was the first of four children of the late Philip and Elizabeth Lloyd. His siblings were Evelyn, Franklyn and Clayton (the latter now deceased). Clarence’s parents belonged to two prominent Anguillian families and he grew up within a strong family support structure. After completing his early education in Anguilla, he travelled to Aruba to live with his father who was working there. While in Aruba he worked as a fireman on an oil tanker.
|
|
In the days of the US Air Force
|
“Several years later Clarence migrated to the United States where he worked with his uncle, Jeremiah Gumbs, in his Heating Oil Delivery Service. Uncle Jerry was a Caribbean immigrant and a successful businessman who was very influential in Clarence’s life as he was in the lives of other family members and many other Anguillians. His having served in the US military must also have influenced Clarence for on leaving his Uncle’s business he joined the United States Air Force in 1950 during the Korean War and was stationed in Europe.
“After completing his commitment with the Air Force in 1953, Sonny enrolled in Alma White College (1953), and then went on to obtain his Doctor of Optometry Degree at Illinois Institute of Technology in 1956. His accomplishments are remarkable in light of the fact that at this time the United States was still caught in the grips of overt segregation and racial discrimination.
“After completing his residency in Chicago he moved to St. Kitts in 1961 and established his Optometry Practice…a practice which he continued for well over 35 years. Over the years he extended his service to Nevis, Montserrat and Anguilla where his initiative was much appreciated and accepted. Apart from his optometry practice, he had a very entrepreneurial spirit and was directly involved in several local business ventures and was an investor in widely-held locally-owned institutions in St. Kitts and Anguilla. He felt strongly that it was important that our people came together to take control of their destiny through ownership of critically important sectors of the economy of our islands.
“Clarence loved intellectual discussions and debates and for many years he was a member of the Mutual Improvement Society (MIS), which was then the oldest literary society in the Caribbean. He also served as President of the MIS.
“His marriage to Claudina Bagnall in 1968 produced three children: Elizabeth, Lenford and Teressa Lloyd. His children were a great source of pride to him for they all achieved what he loved all young people to achieve “a sound and relevant education.”
“The sea was his lifelong passion. He enjoyed fishing and over the years owned a number of fishing and pleasure boats which were not trophies but were fully utilised and enjoyed by him and those he loved. He had many friends in the pleasure sailing and fishing fraternity, where he was known as a dedicated seaman. Most evenings he could be found at Port Zante sitting on his sail boat, The Bella Vita, which incidentally translates to “Beautiful Life.”
“Clarence had a keen interest in people and was always willing to give advice especially to young persons who were travelling overseas in the hope of finding greener pastures. His could attest to the fact that he was never afraid to voice is opinion. Everyone knew where they stood with him for if he thought it …he said it or, to put it another way,… if it was in his mind it came out of his mouth.
“Clarence ‘Sonny’ Nathaniel Lloyd was a free spirit who lived live on his own terms. He was an independent thinker who never allowed himself to be influenced by others. He will be greatly missed by his immediate family, relatives and a host of friends.”