ForeverMissed
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Her Life

Caroline Conroy

February 2, 2023
by Andrew Pritchard
It is with great sadness I send my condolences to you Andrew and your family, your father was a lovely man who doted on his wife, he is at peace joined with the most beautiful soul he ever knew, your mother. I send healing, love and light to you and your family at this very sad time, be comforted in the knowledge that your father and your mother are back in each other’s arms, May they both rest in perfect peace.
Love carol xx

Hayden Pritchard

February 2, 2023
by Andrew Pritchard
My grandpa was always very generous and and always put others before him, and always went with what was right Despite others opinions, sadly he is gone but heaven gained another angel ❤️

Anjie Smith

February 2, 2023
by Andrew Pritchard
With deepest sympathy for the Pritchard family, at this sad time. Prayers to you & loving thoughts as Ronnie travels peacefully. All the best, Anjela XXX

Caroline Conroy

February 2, 2023
by Andrew Pritchard
I just read the most heart warming tribute from a son about his father, it made me emotional, it was beautiful and honest and I don’t think there could be a more fitting tribute for a man who put his family and people first. Ronald is now back in the arms of his beloved Mavis at peace and where he belongs. Rest in perfect peace Ronald and Mavis Xx

Tribute: To My Aunt Mavis by Patricia Witter Alridge

August 26, 2019
by Pritchard Family
I searched to find the words to describe who she was to us and to me.....
She was the Lighthouse on the Rock- The beacon of light & hope for the family who came after her.
I wasn’t born when her home became the arrival destination from Jamaica for the rest of her family as they embarked on their search for a new life in Britain.I can speak from personal experience how challenging it is leaving your loved ones and family behind to start a new life - been there done that not once but twice.

She became our Matriarch - the head of the Witter family.The person whose approval & endorsement meant everything!
I remember hearing the stories of her checking out the family newborns for the “Witter foot”!

Auntie loved her family - her precious Mother - her brothers - her sister - her children, grandchildren, nieces & nephews far and wide across the globe. She could be very direct & the weight & meaning behind her words could stop a train - but were always meant with love & to guide.

She loved a good argument on the short comings of George Bush and was convinced she could get you to see it her way.

Aunt Mavis Loved a good laugh - her throaty laugh was shared freely with all & that high pitch was unmistakable !
She was kind & didn’t hesitate to help where ever & whenever she could or was called upon for someone in need.
Giving - Auntie instinctively knew the needs of the family and friends around her.For me it was looking forward to visiting her at her Barratts Grove home & getting to go down to her boutique at the bottom of the hallway stairs and choosing any dress that fit me - to take home!I was on cloud nine & always left happy.

Her hospitality was as legendary as her cooking - Whether it was out of country visitors - who needed a comfortable resting place and really good food - or just catching up on the latest happenings in the family.
I spent many school summer holidays with her, Uncle Ronnie, Beverly, Debra & later Andrew.
One day in her kitchen I broke a china cup - I was mortified about what happened.I looked up at Auntie - and she spoke gentle words I still use today.Don’t worry Patsy -
“If nothing ever breaks - nothing new would ever be bought”
I learned from her that having something bad happen - wasn’t just something to be scolded for - but rather that it could lead to something positive.In my case a great excuse for life-long shopping !

Auntie
The Special memories of you
will always make me smile.
If only I could have you back
for just a little while,
Then we could sit and talk again
just like we used to do.
You always meant so very much and always will do too.
The fact that you’re no longer here,
will always cause me pain.
But you’re forever in my heart
until we meet again.

Catering and Recepion

August 18, 2019
by Pritchard Family
Mavis had been instrumental in bringing over almost all her siblings and immediate family who were either living or arriving in Britain and making it their home. This included countless cousins from her late father Isaac’s brothers and sisters.

Mavis's home at Barretts Grove in Stoke Newington, for many years had become the epicentre for West Indian friends and family either visiting from Jamaica or the States. 

On Saturdays the house became a hub of activity. It was situated close to Ridley Road Market, where women came from across London to do their weekly shopping for familiar foods: yellow yams, plantains, mangoes and other fresh Caribbean produce. Mavis would have an industrial-sized pot of soup boiling away on top of the oven. Saturday Soup was a tradition in most Jamaican households usually made with chicken, beef or lamb necks.

The distinctive mouth-watering aroma would drift through the house while the sound of Reggae singer Ken Boothe's "Everything I Own" could be heard playing softly in the background. Every visitor coming in from the winter cold would be greeted with a Bowl.

Therefore, in the true spirit of Mavis Pritchard's character the chef de cuisine agreed to prepare an authentic selection of Jamaican dishes under glowing embers created from charcoal and log-wood fire. This would have been the method used back home in St Elizabeth Jamaica, when Mavis was growing up.   
 
Preparations began the night before the funeral in the back garden of Mavis's beloved Barretts Grove. This entailed marinating the chicken and goat meat with herbs and spices freshly bought from Spitalfields Market that morning.

In spite of the weather forecast predicting rain on the day of the funeral the chefs began to cook from 5am, and soldiered on to prepare a magnificent selection of dishes including Curry Goat, Rice and Peas, Escovitch Fish, Jerk, fried and Barbecued Chicken, Mannish Water Soup as well as fried Festivals. 

In order to give everyone a glimpse behind the scenes of their culinary skills we decided to upload a selection of pictures and video clips onto the Gallery section of this website showing the 24hrs leading up-to the reception.             

EULOGY FOR MARION PRTICHARD

August 17, 2019
by Pritchard Family
By Keith Kong

A heart of gold has stopped beating, two loving eyes are now at rest. God broke our hearts to prove that he only takes the best. He looked around his garden and he saw an empty space. He looked down on earth and he saw that Mavis needed a rest. He gently and safely took her home. God’s garden is beautiful and that’s why he only takes the best.

Good morning Reverend, members of the Church’s fraternity; husband Ronnie; children Beverley, Deborah, and Andrew; siblings; grandsons Giovanni, Stefan, Jamie and Hayden; other members of the deceased family, and friends of the late Mavis as we affectionately called her.

As we all come out to pay our respect and celebrate the life of our lovable and well beloved cousin, friend and mentor whom I have known all my life (not just Mavis, but all members of her immediate family and close relatives).

I will always remember the good times we had growing up in the country in the same neighborhood with our grandparents not very far away as the epicenter of our lives as children we played together with toys made by ourselves. It was fun to climb the fruit trees even before the fruits were ripe and pick them. The reality in hind-sight is that although we were very happy with the little we had, we were far happier than today’s children with all their electronic gadgets of the 21st century.

Unfortunately, Mavis’ father Isaac passed away early in her life but with an exceptionally good mother Maud, producing straw hats made a good living for her children but also those who supplied her with the raw materials to make the hats.

Mavis with an ambition to succeed in life moved to Kingston where she was employed in a small business and gained valuable experience in the principle of business that would later enhance her ambition to be a successful entrepreneur.

Because opportunities in the lives of young people were practically non-existent, a vast number of us migrated to England in the 1950s-60s where we were told that the grass was greener and with the rebuilding of England after World War 2 of course jobs were plentiful. Mavis grasped at the opportunity and went to England.

Mavis with her cheerful looks settled down quite easily and found a job. She was not the one to move from one job to the other but stayed faithful to her employers which is a yardstick to evaluate her character and faithfulness. Her smiling face and savvy of engagement and making friends cemented the togetherness with her friends in her community.

Having married to Ron, Mavis began to see her life-long dreams emerging and it all started with an in-house small boutique. This small venture was successful and it stimulated her determination to try her luck into the real estate. This brought out the true potential of Mavis Pritchard as an astute and shrewd business woman that enabled her to move up another notch of the corporate ladder and continue to expand in another commercial entity, a wine-shop.

Mavis was successful in all her endeavours and she told me that the key to all this was whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability and never be afraid to speak to anyone. In fact she always boasted about her good relationship with her bank manager.

Mavis loved to cook and entertain members of our family.I will always remember her chicken dishes, how delicious they were although all members of our family are seafood lovers. I remember on one of our visits to Miami, my brother bought a large box of red lobster and we sat in his kitchen boiling and eating lobster tails straight from the pot which reminds me of our childhood days in Jamaica.

When in Jamaica Mavis loved to travel all over the country just to talk, mingle and joke with country folks. However, she was not afraid to call a spade a spade or afraid of rebuttal or repercussion, she meant no disrespect to anyone.

On one occasion we were coming from the parish of Trelawny and we saw two boys fighting. They looked horrible with dirt and eye-water, Mavis ironically shouted, look how pretty you are. The boys stopped fighting instantly. Then she said you are not pretty, you dirty bastards! She gave them some money and off they went happily shouting thank you Miss! Thank you Miss!

Mavis’ image and conceptions were unique being very strict and forthright in business yet very friendly and courteous when dealing with people. She believed in trusting people. Maybe she knew more about Wall Street stock brokers buying stocks with empty pockets or on the London stock exchange where you bid for stock and then think how to pay for it.

Mavis loved children of all walks of life, her own, relatives and non-relatives. Her love did not prevent her from instilling good behavioral practices and discipline to her own or others. Being a good disciplinarian she did not believe in any form of corporal punishment when children misbehaved but to talk, teach and show them what is right from what is wrong. You might not agree with her but I believe that her method and action is a testimony of what good parenting is all about. It does not engender ill feelings between parent and child which could play out later in life.

Some people of high esteem, greatness and substance have achieved their accolades by sacrifices, bravery and going the extra mile to perform duties. Mavis has achieved hers by her kindness and love for people that brought a smile to the less fortunate and marginalized in our society. This is the message of a Christian life that Mavis believed in. This is the message that Jefferson was trying to relate to the American people in 1801 with the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This is what Mavis believed in, that all human beings should be treated with respect regardless of one’s status.

Her messages and communication has left an indelible mark for us not just to follow but to emulate so that we too can have an impact on the lives of others.

I am confident, pleased and assured that all of us gathered here to celebrate and give thanks to God for her life can attest to the fact that all who came in contact with Mavis have benefitted from her kindness, love, affection and wisdom.

These are the pillars that her legacy will stand on a legacy of yesterday, today and the tomorrow. A legacy that will inspire you and me to follow suite.

I can say without any apology that we are not all perfect and in this scenario I believe that there is more good in us than bad and that with all the success in one’s life Mavis encountered her fair share of ups and downs yet she was not the one to show signs of frustration or to cringe under pressure but to triumph over disappointment and exalt though unrecognized.

I have lost a friend, confidant and cousin but I am heartened by the fact that her passing is a mandatory appointment that we all have to keep. It’s only a transition in life like moving from one room in the house to another.

Finally, as we celebrate her life and acknowledge her passing. Let us all remember her life as a landmark in our household with unbroken continuity.

Let us not be burdened with sorrow but think of the joy and happiness that awaits her in this transition. Let us celebrate this precious gift of life that God has given her to import with us.

To some her appointment with her Saviour will be forgotten, but to me and all of you her memory will not be lost. Mavis we loved you yesterday, today and the day to come. God loves you best so you took his hand when you heard him call. Sleep on Mavis until we meet again.

On behalf of the family, kindly allow me this opportunity to thank you all for coming out in your numbers to pay your respect and to give thanks for her life.

Thank you, and god bless you all.