Tribute To Mrs Sylvia Adelina Joan Lake nee Pratt
By Nellie Showers (Rev) — PRESIDENT, AWOGA, (UK)
I will start with a quote by Elisabeth Kubler – Ross “ Death is a graduation. When we’re taught all the things we came to teach, learned all the things we came to learn,then we’re allowed to graduate.”
Joan, you graduated and the day was Wednesday 21st October, 2015. You passed the grades and graduated to the great beyond . There is no more pain, no more
weeping. God called you to a higher place and you answered the call.
It is with heavy heart and sadness that I write this tribute to a dear friend, school
mate and fellow AWOGAN. One of our own, our very own who entered the Annie
Walsh Memorial School in Freetown in September 1963.
colour green.
Road. I spoke to one of Joan’s class teachers who said she could still remember
Joan rushing to school in the morning so as not to be late for role call. She was very
impressed with her commitment to arrive in school early even though she was
travelling so far. Her attendance record was good.
home together after school and I could recall her joining her Regent bus to go home,
at the side of the Freetown Museum a short distance from the Cotton Tree. Most
times we will wait for her bus to arrive before we will continue with the rest of our
journey. For so many years as we walk home together and remained friends, Joan
brought joy and sweetness to all of us and also to those she came across.
Joan as she was commonly known by many was very supportive in AWOGA’S
fundraising events and we could remember her today for her usual ‘granat cake’. I
reliably learnt that even when at times she could not attend the Luncheon sale, she
would make sure that her presence was felt. Her usual ‘granat cake’ would be
there and someone would be selling for her. She was that type of person that would
always want to do something one way or the other to support a worthy cause.
Nothing will stop her from doing whatever she wanted to do. She was determined to
attend the 165 celebratory dinner and dance held at the Hilton Metropole Hotel in
November 2014. I could remember when she called me up to arrange some tickets
for her, she disclosed to me that she had been unwell and since she was feeling a lot
better, she would like to attend the dance. I was very delighted and quickly
arranged some tickets for her. She was there with some friends. She enjoyed herself
and danced away the time to the wee hours of the morning.
during her last few months and her words were that she was healed. The week
before she was taken into hospital she said to me on the phone “ Nellie you could
hear my voice, how I am talking, I am better, I believe God has healed me”. Honestly
from the telephone conversation, I could tell that she was doing well by her speech.
I was in total shock when a few days later I learnt that she was in hospital.
Joan, AWOGA, UK will miss you ; we will miss you at events; we will miss your
zealousness, dedication, drive and love for your Alma Mater. You have gone but
you will not be forgotten.
be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain;
for the former things are passed away.”
our heartfelt sympathy to your daughter, dad, sisters, brother and rest of the family
for such a great loss.
TRIBUTE TO MRS. Evelyn Martha Spain – Cole (nee Buckner) 25thth January, 2016 BY Nellie Showers (Rev)— PRESIDENT, AWOGA, (UK)
When we lose a loved one, the tendency is for us to question God – God why me, why us? Why should our loved one be taken away from us at this time?
This may have been the way the families and friends felt on that fatal day 28th December 2015, when Evelyn Martha Spain – Cole answered to a higher call from above. There was no stopping, the master called and she responded. She left everything; she left this earthly world for a heavenly home to be united with her Lord and Saviour. She answered, there was no delay. She left the worries, the pain, the ups and downs of this world; she said good bye, good bye, and good bye. I have to go.
Amidst all the questions we may have asked the Lord, let us draw strength from words from this hymn “whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul”
Mrs Evelyn Spain – Cole nee Buckner joined the Annie Walsh Memorial School in Freetown, in January1941 from Mrs Hayward School. According to the school’s register she was student no 2724.
To write this tribute I had to speak to some of her school mates. These are what they had to say.
Mrs Spain – Cole was a quiet, and nice person. A person of little words. She was also an intelligent person and excelled in most of her subjects.
She was a very trustworthy person, soft spoken, sincere, dedicated and genuine. She was someone one could depend on and what she said she would do, she always did. She will never let one down- her word was her bond.
She was a cheerful, pleasant and loving lady who always had a smile on her face and made everyone around her happy. Whether it was her positive attitude or her smile she was a delight to be around.
Because of the love she had for her school, she joined the Old Girls’ association of the School in London over 30 years ago. This was a time when the Old Girls’ were having their meetings at the Sierra Leone Embassy, Portland Place, London.
Mrs Evelyn Spain – Cole as she was commonly known by many was a devoted AWOGA (UK) member. She was always up to date with her subscriptions and was a regular attendee at monthly meetings with her friend the late Mrs Florence Lan- George until her health could not permit her to do so.
A gracious woman of God who had a very strong faith which helped to carry her through her illness with dignity.
AWOGAN Mrs Spain – Cole, “the time has come for your departure. You have fought the good fight, you have finished the race, you have kept the faith. Now there is in store for you the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to you on that day”
On behalf of AWOGA (UK) and myself, I pray that your sweet soul will rest in perfect peace and rise in glory.