“A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again.”
These words from the great poet Maya Angelou sums up Daphne Hewitt, a truly great and generous soul. Mrs. Hewitt died November 19, 2019, and bequeathed sums of money to several charities, one of which was the St. Patrick’s Foundation to which she gave a significant amount of time.
The St. Patrick’s Foundation takes this opportunity to acknowledge the generous bequest of Mrs. Hewitt, and to pay tribute to someone who lived a truly Christian life whose memory will live on in the many projects in which she participated or spearheaded, in service to God and the people of Jamaica.
Mrs. Hewitt was a devout member of the Roman Catholic Church. She attended Stella Maris Church, Shortwood Road, St. Andrew and was a very active member of the church and its ‘ministries’, including the Stewardship Ministry to which she gave unstintingly of her time and talents. She organized a weekly breakfast programme for the indigent elderly, served as a member of the Catholic Women’s League, sponsored the lights for the Christmas Tree at Stella Maris for a number of years, donated the marble altar at Stella Maris Church, and was involved in the Sunday School programme in Grants Pen. Extending her work beyond the physical confines of Stella Maris, she held “Praise and Worship” sessions at her home and led daily reading of the Bible among church members.
Mrs. Hewitt was a tireless advocate for social justice and unstintingly supported several social programmes. A benefactor of the St. Patrick’s Foundation, she was a strong supporter of the work of the late Monsignor Richard Albert, whose mission was to empower inner-city youth through providing basic education and training in marketable skills, and to provide for the poor, vulnerable elderly, who had no means of caring for themselves.
Monsignor Albert founded St. Patrick’s Foundation in 1994 and from the inception Mrs. Hewitt was a faithful volunteer worker for the programmes. St. Patrick’s Foundation was established to assist unattached youth, the poor and vulnerable elderly, in the inner-city communities of Riverton Meadows, Callaloo Mews, Seaview Gardens, Olympic Gardens, Waterhouse and surrounding communities. Later, when Stella Maris Foundation was established, Mrs. Hewitt added that organization to her list of beneficiaries.
Mrs. Hewitt was caring and generous throughout her life and continued to give after death. We thank her son Paul for carrying out her wishes, ensuring the timely distribution of her welcome donations.
There is a saying “Nothing can dim the light which shines from within”. Daphne Hewitt was a shining beacon in her lifetime. In death her light continues to shine through her thoughtfulness, caring and the generosity of her bequest to the several charities which are the beneficiaries of her largesse. May her soul rest in peace.