Aspire to inspire before you expire
A man of aspirations, courage, endurance, faith, family, inspiration, love, patience, perseverance, personal and international success.
On April 16th, 2015, The Spooner Family, their siblings and families lovingly and thankfully pay tribute to our beloved brother-in-law who became our Foster-Father for sixty-three years. Leslie would have celebrated his 90th birthday on this date and despite his physical absence we still celebrate because his love, encouragement, messaging, preaching and teaching will remain with us forever.
Leslie married our loving and oldest sister Lila on September 16th,1952. After our mother died on December 23rd, 1952, Leslie and Lila returned home to the Spooner residence located at 8 Camp and Princes Street, Georgetown, Guyana to become foster parents to several of Lila’s siblings. Leslie accepted this responsibility with love and great courage, and also with the knowledge that he would be tested by many different personalities and attitudes. His faith and love of family strengthened him for this challenge. Leslie displayed endurance, patience, perseverance and tolerance. He always ensured
that we were all educated, kept up the Faith, maintained family traditions, and nurtured and mentored each sibling towards the path of a bright, positive and successful future. Leslie even had to be the referee for our basketball differences since the young Spooners represented three different teams – Ravens, GBS Panthers and The Elite Eagles.
Leslie also encouraged us to be attentive towards current events and politics with the explanation that these would become two contributing factors to any decision we would have to make relevant to our future. Today we can proudly say with great love and sincere appreciation that Leslie educated, encouraged, mentored, preached and taught four generations of the Spooner Family as well as descendants of the Carew, Crawford, Daly, Hunter, Melville and Wilkinson families. We will all be eternally grateful for his presence in our lives.
Leslie’s foster-father responsibility did not deter his very long and active life within the Public Service of Guyana. Leslie was the stalwart of the working class of Guyana and a devoted and dedicated Trade Unionist. He also was a sterling advocate of education as a lecturer at both Critchlow Labor College and The University of Guyana. He was a respected and loyal member of the Public Service and National Public Service Unions, the Trade Union Congress, a founding member of Solidarity House, the Toastmasters Club and International Toastmasters Club, as well as an affiliate of many other organizations. Leslie was the recipient of several awards and accolades for his distinguished service in Guyana. He received the award of Excellence from the Caribbean Congress of Labor, was the recipient of the notable award The Golden Arrow Head of Achievement as well as an award for long and distinguished service with the Guyana Trade Union Congress and the National Union of Public Service. He was also accepted into the International Toastmasters Hall of Fame.
Leslie’s characteristics as well as his many roles, titles, recognition and awards are representative of the person and father he truly was during his lifetime. We grieve his physical absence, but with faith, love and gratitude we still celebrate his life of accomplishments, aspirations, inspirations, personal and professional successes.
We would like to thank Leslie and Lila’s four children – Ferial, Patrick, Gillene and David for sharing their Dad with us for sixty-three years. You are our biological nieces and nephews but in your father’s eyes you were our younger sisters and brothers. A bond of faith and love of family exemplified by David Leslie Lorain Melville – a true, loyal, respected Guyanese Son and Patriot.
We will love and miss you always. You will remain the Wind beneath our Wings.—-R.I.P.
Authored by Sheryl Ramdial (nee Spooner) – The Spooner family
