“Dr. Bethel cared about education, she cared about The Bahamas, but mostly, she cared about people. She understood that the future of The Bahamas depended upon having an educated people and she devoted her life to that goal. She taught many of the leaders of The Bahamas and I cannot think of anyone who gave more to the success of The Bahamas as an independent country.�
Stuart W. Ray
President Lyford Cay Foundation, Inc.
A CONCELEBRATED EUCHARIST OF THANKSGIVING FOR THE LIFE OF THE LATE
Keva Marie Bethel, CMG, PHD Born: 18th August 1935 Died: 15th February 2011 SERVICE HELD AT Christ Church Cathedral
George Street Nassau, N.P., The Bahamas
on Thursday, 24th February 2011 at 11:00 a.m. OFFICIATING The Very Rev’d Patrick Adderley Dean of Christ Church Cathedral Vicar General
The Rt. Rev’d Laish Z. Boyd Sr.
Bishop of the Diocese of The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands
The Rev’d. Colin Humes Priest Vicar, Christ Church Cathedral
The Rev’d. Michael Gittens
Rector, Church of the Ascension
DIRECTOR OF MUSIC Mr. Adrian Archer ORGANIST Dr. Sparkman Ferguson The Highgrove Singers Under the direction of Mr. Adrian Archer The Nassau Renaissance Singers Under the direction of Mrs. Audrey Wright
Keva Marie Bethel,
CMG, PHD
18th August 1935-15th February 2011 Keva Marie Eldon was born on August 18th, 1935, the only daughter and the second child of Sidney and Rowena Eldon of Delancy Street, Nassau. Although middle-class Bahamian families of colour had some opportunities available to them, they were circumscribed by the segregated nature of Bahamian society of the time. Keva’s parents were determined that their children would not be limited by the circumstances into which they had been born and invested all their energy in ensuring that Keva and her older brother Michael received the very best schooling possible. The family were committed Anglicans. They attended the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, but were also active in All Saints, Chippingham, and Christ Church Cathedral. The children went to mass at St. Mary’s with their father and attended Sunday School at the Cathedral. Moreover, Keva, who was blessed with a fine soprano singing voice, sang in the Cathedral choirs throughout her youth. Like her brother before her, Keva was sent to Queen’s College, where she graduated with honours in 1950, having earned the prestigious Parkinson Prize for Progress. Like her brother, too, she planned to go to university, and so remained for another year at Queen’s College to study Latin, a subject still required for matriculation to universities in the UK and Canada, but not normally taught at QC. In 1951, her Latin studies completed, Keva went to work at Barclay’s Bank, then a relatively new institution, to begin saving money for her university studies. An encounter with Deans Peggs, the then Headmaster of the Government High School, convinced her mother that Keva should be enrolled in a sixth form college for girls, as Cambridge had only two women’s colleges, and competition for places was fierce. As a result, in 1953, Rowena and Keva left Nassau on the HMS Queen Elizabeth with a view to finding the right institution in Britain. The gamble paid off. By September 1953, Keva was enrolled in Kirby Lodge, Little Shelford, a school specialising in preparing young women to enter Cambridge. There, Keva continued her studies in modern languages, specialising in French and Spanish. She also continued her musical training, which she had begun with Mrs. Cumberbatch in Nassau. She signed up for private voice lessons and auditioned before Boris Ord, Director of Music at King’s College, for entry into the Cambridge University Music Society. She impressed him with her high soprano, and was admitted to CUMS during her first term at Kirby Lodge.
Two years later, A Level examinations completed, Keva received offers from both Oxford’s Lady Margaret Hall and Cambridge’s Girton College to study Modern Languages. By then, her heart was in Cambridge, and she entered Girton, earning her BA in 1959 and MA in 1963. She returned to Nassau in 1959 to take up a position teaching Modern Languages at the Government High School. There, she counted among her students and many of the nationbuilders of the modern Bahamas; they in their turn were inspired by her scholarship, her discipline and her personal integrity. Although today, Dr. Bethel is most remembered for her pioneering work at The College of The Bahamas, for those students and colleagues from her GHS years, she will always be remembered as a committed and caring teacher who demanded they give their very best at all times, and modelled the same in her own life. In 1966, she was appointed Head of Modern Languages, followed by a further appointment to Deputy Headmistress in 1972. The 1960s were a decade not only of professional growth, but of profound personal satisfaction as well. At the end of 1961, her former music teacher, the redoubtable Meta Davis Cumberbatch, set about conscripting the brightest of her former pupils to help her establish the Festival of Arts and Crafts, later to become part of the National Arts Festival. One of those pupils was E. Clement Bethel, fresh from his training at the Royal Academy of Music. He and Keva had known one another as children, but at that time their age difference stood in the way of any close friendship; Keva, two and a half years older than Clement, was friendlier with his sister Eunice. Now, though, those two and a half years were no impediment to their beginning a whirlwind courtship. They met again just before Christmas, began dating during the holidays, and were married on Easter Monday (23rd April) 1962; by 1965, the union had produced two children, Nicolette and Edward. In 1975, Keva accepted a transfer from GHS to the fledgling College of The Bahamas, where she began a new trajectory in her career. From 1975-1977 she served as Chair of Humanities; from 1977 to the end of 1978, she served as Academic Dean; and in January 1979 she was appointed Vice-Principal of the College. By that time, her talents and dedication were apparent to all but perhaps herself. Both of the Principals with whom she served, Dr. Kazim Bacchus and Dr. Jacob Bynoe, lost no time in recommending her as their successor, and in this recommendation they were joined by the Hon. Livingstone Coakley, then Minister of Education. As Vice-Principal, she was sent abroad to conduct doctoral studies in Educational Administration, which she pursued at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. Two scant years later, she returned to The Bahamas with her doctorate, and in January 1982 was appointed Acting Principal of the College of The Bahamas, a position that was confirmed that July.
She served as Principal of the College of The Bahamas from July 1982 to June 1995, when the amendment of the College of The Bahamas Act made the College an independent institution. At that point, at the age of sixty, Dr. Bethel became the institution’s first President, having presided over the growth of the College from a twoyear community institution to an organisation whose degrees were not only recognised throughout the world, but were also respected as widely, and whose students and alumni were excelling in countless fields. Perhaps most importantly though, under Dr. Bethel’s leadership, the College gained legitimacy in the eyes of Bahamians and its graduates treated with a new respect. In 1995, Dr. Bethel had attained the official age of retirement, but agreed to serve as President for three more years to set the institution on the right path towards university status. She retired for good in 1998, two months after the death of her own mother, who had lived to see both of her children retire at the tops of their careers. Retirement, however, was not to be a leisurely affair for Keva, complete with Alaskan cruises and prize gardening. The reputation she had earned at the College—a reputation for excellence, scholarship, integrity, temperance, and good sense—made her a valuable national asset. Immediately she found herself being called upon to serve on numerous boards and committees, and, committed as she was to national development and community service, she readily agreed. Even at the time of her death she was involved in countless civic and social activities, never refusing to serve when called upon. Despite her many professional and civic commitments, Dr. Bethel remained wholly committed to her family and friends, and became the matriarch in both the Bethel and Eldon families. A devoted wife, mother, daughter, aunt, and friend, her time was always divided between caring for the educational needs of the nation and those of her loved ones. She continued to host Sunday and Holiday dinners for her family until she fell ill last year, even though this posed special challenges at times. While her husband Clement was still alive, on Sunday evenings, ZNS TV13 aired The Jewel in the Crown, a drama about the end of English rule in India. Clement decreed Sundays were to be “Indian Nights” which of course meant that Keva would be preparing full Indian dinners to create the proper ambiance. She was happy to share her husband’s, and children’s diverse interests and acted as advisor and mentor for the Bethels, Eldons and her close friends. In her familial role she was as likely to turn up at a chamber music concert, a horse show, a road race, as she was at a board meeting.
Keva Bethel was raised with a commitment to family, a respect for people, a love for her country, a dedication to service, and a deep appreciation of and reverence for life itself. At the end of her life, these qualities were severely tested by personal adversity. In 1987, when her husband was critically ill, she took leave from her demanding job to accompany him to Halifax for medical attention, and remained there until his death in August. When his sister, Eunice, also fell ill not long after and relocated her life to Cambridge, England, to seek treatment there, Keva made regular trips to visit her, and did so until Eunice’s return to Nassau prior to her death in 1994. In 2005, when her brother Michael slipped into a coma as the result of complications arising from pneumonia, Keva visited him daily, reading and talking to him, supporting him financially when his insurance ran out; it was only her own illness that stopped her from visiting him. Finally, even when it was evident that her own condition was grave, in her own words she was determined to “Press on� with treatment, even though this entailed great pain and discomfort. A committed Christian, Keva recognized life as a great gift from her Creator, and did everything she could to preserve it. Keva Bethel was married for some 25 years to the late E. Clement Bethel (1938-1987), former Director of Culture for The Bahamas, who predeceased her, and was the younger sister of Michael H. Eldon (1931-2011), first Bahamian Bishop of the Diocese of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, who predeceased her by 8 days. She is survived by two children, Nicolette Bethel Burrows and Edward Bethel; their spouses, Philip Burrows and Tasha Bethel; one grandson, Jaxon Bethel; nephews Richard Bethel and Timothy Bethel and his wife Mizpah; nieces Jane-Michele Bethel, Margot Bethel, Jill Redgrave and her husband Mark, and Tanya Lester; grand-nephews Mark Bethel, Paul Redgrave, Benjamin Redgrave, Ty Bethel and Logan Bethel; grand-nieces Christi Lester, Natalie Lester, and Anna Redgrave; cousins John and Sonja Lunn, Adrian Lunn and family, Mark Lunn, Toby Lunn, David and Muriel Lunn, Duane and Sakina Sands and family, Peter Lunn, Mabel Eldon and family, Sylvia and Harold Wilkinson, Suzanne and Robert Farquharson, Rusty and Gillian Scates and family, Deborah and Manuel Lopez and family, Dianne Scates, Carol and Nicole Gates, Dorothy Lloyd, Albert Lloyd III and family, Eve and Bruce Lowe and family, Valerie Castera and family, Donna and Chris Jennings and family, Judy and Norman Reiach and family, Anne and Colin Higgs and family, Brian Wilkinson and family, Cathy Neff and family, Donna Wilkinson, Jill and Peter Furzer, Scott Deal and family, Nanette and Peter Hale and family, Timothy Deal, John Zane Deal and family, and numerous other relatives and friends including Cyprianna and Fred Fleischer and family, Cecil and Earla Bethel and family, Peter and Jeannette Bethel and family, Pamela and Tony Granger and family, Brian Humblestone, Michelle Patterson, John and Daphne Delaney, and Gail Saunders.
Some of her activities at the time of her death include: membership on the boards of Cable Bahamas, the Lyford Cay Foundation, Doctors Hospital, and Queen’s College Board of Governors; involvement in numerous committees and civic organisations including the International Women’s Forum, the Governor-General’s Youth Award, the Girl Guides, the Primary Student of the Year Association, the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, the Blue Ribbon Panel of the Cacique Awards, and the All Bahamas Merit Scholarships. Keva Bethel died on 15th February, 2011, having lived a life of integrity, love, scholarship and, above all, service to others. Indeed, her early years teaching at the Government High School equipped her with principles that she carried with her throughout her life. These may be found in the school hymn, “I Vow to Thee, My Country”, and are made explicit in the words of the Prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the school prayer: Teach us, good Lord, to serve thee as thou deservest; To give, and not to count the cost, to fight, and not to heed the wounds, to toil, and not to seek for rest, to labour, and not to ask for any reward, save that of knowing that we do thy will.
“Dr. Keva Bethel CMG was a Renaissance woman, whose roots as a family woman, teacher, mentor and loyal friend, touched everyone and everything with whom she came into contact. The IWF is profoundly grateful for Keva’s national and international service, both of which were given interminably and with great dignity.”
International Women’s Forum
Scholar-in-Residence and President Emerita, The College of The Bahamas MEMBER OF THE BOARDS OF: Cable Bahamas Cable Bahamas Cares Foundation Lyford Cay Foundation Doctors Hospital Queen’s College Board of Governors Governor-General’s Youth Award Primary Student of the Year Foundation(Patron) International Women’s Forum Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority (Honorary Member) Bahamas Girl Guides (Past President) Blue Ribbon Panel of the Cacique Awards All Bahamas Merit Scholarships E. Clement Bethel Friends of the Festival PAST MEMBER OF: City Markets Scholarship Board FINCO Board
Order of Service RECEPTION OF THE ASHES Celebrant:
With faith in Jesus Christ, we receive the ashes of our sister KEVA for burial. Our sister was washed in Holy Baptism and anointed with the Holy Spirit. Let us therefore, with confidence, pray to God our Heavenly Father, the Giver of Life, that He will raise her to perfection in the company of the saints.
Celebrant: All:
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Celebrant:
Let us pray:
All:
O God of grace and glory, we remember before you this day our sister KEVA. We thank you for giving her to us, her family and friends, to know and love as a companion on our earthly pilgrimage. In your boundless compassion, console us who mourn. Give us faith to see in death the gate of eternal life, so that in quiet confidence we may continue our course on earth, until, by your call, we are reunited with those who have gone before; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
OPENING SENTENCES: Jesus said, I am the Resurrection, and I am the life; he who believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. John 11:25-26 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His compassion never fails: every morning they are renewed. Lamentations 3:22-23 Jesus said, Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. John 14:1
I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be the Lord both of the dead and of the living. Romans 14:8-9 We brought nothing into the world, and we take nothing out. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away: Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Job 1:21 The eternal God is our refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deuteronomy 33:27 OPENING HYMN: “The Strife is O’er” Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! The strife is o’er, the battle done, Now is the Victor’s triumph won, O let the song of praise be sung: Alleluia! Death’s mightiest powers have done their worst, And Jesus hath His foes dispersed, Let shouts of praise and joy outburst: Alleluia! On the third morn He rose again Glorious in majesty to reign; O let us swell the joyful strain: Alleluia! Lord, by the stripes which wounded Thee From death’s dread sting Thy servants free, That we may live, and sing to Thee: Alleluia!
“Dr. Bethel was one of our truly great citizens: devoted, honest, loyal and steadfast. Her life’s accomplishments and her warm spirit are forever etched in the annals of our history and in the hearts of countless Bahamians.”
The Rt. Hon. Hubert A. Ingraham
Prime Minister The Commonwealth of The Bahamas
THE COLLECT FOR THE DEPARTED Celebrant:
Let us pray:
Almighty God, we remember before You today Your servant KEVA MARIE, and we pray that, having opened to her the gates of larger life, You will receive her more and more into Your joyful service, that, with all who have served you in the past, she may share in the eternal victory of Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen. THE LESSON: Isaiah 61: 1-3 Read by Judy Reiach (cousin) 1 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; 3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory. Reader: All:
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
The Highgrove Singers lead the singing of Psalm 130 an arrangement by Adrian Archer (the congregation is asked to participate as indicated) Cantor: All:
In the Lord there is mercy and plenteous redemption In the Lord there is mercy and plenteous redemption
Cantor:
Out of the depths I cry to thee, O LORD! Lord, hear my voice! Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!
If thou, O LORD, were to note what is done amiss O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you, therefore you shall be feared.
All:
In the Lord there is mercy and plenteous redemption
Cantor:
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits for him, in his word is my hope My soul waits for the LORD more than watchmen for the morning, More than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, wait for the LORD! For with the LORD there is mercy; In him there is plenteous redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all their sins
All:
In the Lord there is mercy and plenteous redemption
NEW TESTAMENT READING: Romans 8: 1-2, 12-14, 28, 31-39 Read by Lowell Mortimer (Friend) 1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh – 13 for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 28 We know that all things work together for good* for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 31 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? 33 Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’ 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Reader: All:
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
GRADUAL HYMN: “I Vow To Thee My Country” I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above, Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love: The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test, That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best; The love that never falters, the love that pays the price, The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.
“I believe that Keva’s wish would be that the University becomes a beacon of hope, an example of an institution where disagreements are settled without being disagreeable. The Bahamas is in desperate need of such an example. It would be a fitting tribute to her if the University of The Bahamas would commit itself to such a goal.”
Hugh Sands
And there’s another country, I’ve heard of long ago, Most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know; Former Chairman of the College Council We may not count her armies, we may not see her King; Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering; And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase, And her ways are ways of gentleness and all her paths are peace. GOSPEL: John 11: 21-27 Gospeller: All:
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Gospeller: All:
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John Glory to Christ our Saviour
21 Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.’ 23 Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ 24 Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ 25 Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ 27 She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.’ Gospeller: All:
This is the Gospel of Christ. Praise to Christ our Lord.
Duet: Cleophas Adderley & Joanne Callendar
TRIBUTES: Representatives: Cable Bahamas Board of Directors Doctors Hospital Board of Directors The Lyford Cay Foundation Queen’s College Board of Governors The College of The Bahamas His Excellency, the Governor-General, Sir Arthur Foulkes The Nassau Renaissance Singers sing the anthem “All Things Bright and Beautiful” by John Rutter (1945 – ) SERMON: The Very Rev’d Patrick Adderley THE CREED: Celebrant:
Let us with confidence and hope confess the faith into which we were baptized, as we say,
All:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and was born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen. INTERCESSION: Rhonda Chipman-Johnson (former student and collegue) Leader:
For our sister Keva, let us pray to the Lord Christ who said, “I am the Resurrection and I am Life.”
Leader: Lord, You consoled Martha and Mary in their distress: Draw near to us who mourn for Keva, and dry the tears of those who weep. All: Hear us, Lord. Leader: All:
You wept at the grave of Lazarus, your friend, comfort us in our sorrow. Hear us, Lord.
Leader: All:
You raised the dead to life: Raise our sister to eternal life. Hear us, Lord.
Leader: You promised paradise to the thief who repented: Bring our sister to the joys of heaven. All: Hear us, Lord. Leader: All:
Our sister was washed in Baptism and anointed with the Holy Spirit: Give her fellowship with all your Saints. Hear us, Lord.
Leader: All:
She was nourished with your Body and Blood: Grant her a place at the table in your heavenly kingdom. Hear us, Lord.
Leader: All:
Comfort us in our sorrows at the death of our sister. Let our faith be our consolation, and eternal life our hope. Hear us, Lord.
Celebrant: Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to you our sister Keva, who was reborn by water and the Spirit in Holy Baptism. Grant that her death may recall to us your victory over death, and be an occasion for us to renew our trust in your Father’s love. Give us, we pray, the faith to follow where you have led the way; and where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, to the ages of ages. Amen.
ACT OF PENITENCE: Celebrant:
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Celebrant: Let us therefore confess our sins. ALL:
Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and one another, in thought, word and deed, and in what we have left undone. We are sorry and repent of all our sins. For your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, forgive us all that is past, and grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your Name. Amen.
THE ABSOLUTION: Celebrant: Almighty God, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Nassau Renaissance Singers & the Highgrove Singers sing the Anthem “Praise” by E. Clement Bethel (1938 – 1987) THE PRESENTATION OF THE OFFERING: ELEMENT BEARERS: Paul Redgrave (grand-nephew) Natalie Lester (grand-niece) Celebrant: All:
Through your goodness, Lord, we have this bread and wine to offer, the fruit of the earth and the work of human hands. They will become our spiritual food. All things come from you, O Lord, and of your own do we give you. Blessed be God forever.
Hymn: “Immortal Invisible” Immortal, invisible, God only wise, In light inaccessible hid from our eyes, Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, Almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise. Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light, Nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might; Thy justice like mountains high soaring above Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love. To all life thou givest, to both great and small; In all life thou livest, the true life of all; We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree, And wither and perish; but naught changeth thee. Great Father of glory, pure Father of light, Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight; All laud we would render: O help us to see ‘Tis only the splendour of light hideth thee. THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER:
“The example she has set for us will always exhort and remind us to continue the struggle for humanity, education, peace, and a better Bahamas to which Dr Bethel had dedicated her entire life.”
Charles Sealy CEO Doctors Hospital
“We remember our friend Keva as a person with great dignity, compassion and intellect with a smile that could light up a room. Her insight and perspective have helped to shape the Governor-General’s Youth award and her legacy will be written in the future of all participants who work toward their Bronze, Silver and Gold medals.”
Sir. Orville Turnquest Chairman- Governor-General’s Youth Award
Celebrant: All:
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Celebrant: All:
Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord.
Celebrant: All:
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give God thanks and praise.
Celebrant:
It is right and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Father Almighty, Everlasting God;
Former Governor General The Commonwealth of The Bahamas
Through Jesus Christ our Lord; who rose victorious from the dead, and comforts us with the blessed hope of life eternal. For to Your faithful people, O Lord, life is changed, not ended: and when our mortal body lies in death, there is prepared for us a dwelling place eternal in the heavens.
Therefore we praise You, joining our voices with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven, who forever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of Your Name: All:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might; Heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Celebrant: Sovereign Lord and Father, to You be glory and praise for ever. In Your boundless wisdom You brought creation into being; in Your great love You fashioned us in Your image; in Your tender compassion You sent Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Saviour, to share our human nature; in the power of the Holy Spirit, He overcame the power of sin and death and brought Your people to new birth as first fruits of Your new creation.
On the night he was betrayed, He took bread, and when He had given thanks to You, He broke it and gave it to His disciples and said: “Take this and eat it: This is My Body which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of Me.”
After supper He took the cup of wine: and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them and said: “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the New Covenant which is shed for you, and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of Me.”
Celebrant:
Therefore, Father, according to the command of your dearly beloved Son.
All:
We remember His death We proclaim His resurrection We await His coming to glory.
Celebrant:
And we offer you, Father, our sacrifice of thanks and praise. Send your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and wine that they may become the Body and Blood of Your Son, Jesus, our Lord and Redeemer. As we partake of this holy food of new and unending life, may Your Holy Spirit establish us a royal priesthood with the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. John the Baptist, St. Matthias and all Your sons and daughters who share in Your eternal inheritance; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. With Him and in Him and through Him, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we worship You, Father Almighty, with all who stand before You in earth and heaven, in songs of everlasting praise:
All:
Blessing and honour and glory and power be yours forever and ever. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER Celebrant:
As our Saviour has taught us so we pray:
All: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name; your kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD Celebrant: We break this bread to share in the body of Christ. All:
Though we are many, we are one body, because we all share in one bread.
THE INVITATION Celebrant:
My brothers and sisters in Christ, draw near and receive His Body which He gave for you, and His Blood, which He shed for you. Remember that he died for you, and feed on Him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving.
All:
Grant us gracious Lord, that we may so eat the flesh of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, and drink His Blood, that we may ever more dwell in Him and He in us. Amen.
THE AGNUS DEI: All:
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; grant her rest. Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; grant her rest. Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; grant her rest eternal.
The Nassau Renaissance Singers sing the anthem “For the Beauty of the Earth” by John Rutter (1945 – ) COMMUNION HYMNS “And Now, O Father, Mindful of Thy Love” And now, O Father, mindful of the love That bought us, once for all, on Calvary’s tree, And having with us him that pleads above, We here present, we here spread forth to thee That only offering perfect in thine eyes, The one true, pure, immortal sacrifice. Look, Father, look on his anointed face, And only look on us as found in him; Look not on our misusings of thy grace, Our prayer so languid, and our faith so dim: For lo, between our sins and their reward We set the Passion of thy Son our Lord.
“She was a mentor to so many of us. A beacon of how we can aspire to make our national contribution, and through hard work, dedication and honest commitment, we can achieve. We took great pattern after her life noting that “to whom much was been given, much was expected.”
Dr. Ricardo P. Deveaux President & CEO The Bahamas Primary School Student of the Year Foundation
“Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” Let all mortal flesh keep silence And with fear and trembling stand; Ponder nothing earthly-minded, For with blessing in his hand Christ our God to earth descendeth, Our full homage to demand.
Rank on rank the host of heaven Spreads its vanguard on the way, As the Light of light descendeth From the realms of endless day, That the powers of hell may vanish As the darkness clears away.
King of kings, yet born of Mary, As of old on earth he stood, Lord of lords, in human vesture In the body and the blood He will give to all the faithful His own self for heavenly food.
At his feet the six-winged seraphs; Cherubim with sleepless eye Veil their faces to the Presence, As with ceaseless voice they cry, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Lord most high.
“Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendour” Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour, First-begotten from the dead, Thou alone, our strong defender, Liftest up thy people’s head. Alleluia, Jesu, true and living bread.
Paschal Lamb, thine offering, finished Once for all when thou wast slain, In its fullness undiminished Shall for evermore remain, Alleluia, Cleansing souls from every stain.
Here our humblest homage pay we, Here in loving reverence bow; Here for faith’s discernment pray we, Lest we fail to know thee now. Alleluia, Thou art here, we ask not how.
Life-imparting heavenly Manna, Stricken Rock with streaming side, Heaven and earth with loud hosanna Worship thee, the Lamb who died, Alleluia, Risen, ascended, glorified.
Though the lowliest form doth veil thee As of old in Bethlehem, Here as there thine angels hail thee, Branch and Flower of Jesse’s Stem. Alleluia, We in worship join with them.
The Highgrove Singer sing the Post Communion Anthem “Sing Me To Heaven” by Daniel E. Gawthrop (1949 – ) POST COMMUNION All:
Almighty God, we thank You that in Your great love you have fed us with the spiritual food and drink of the Body and Blood of Your Son Jesus Christ, and have given us a foretaste of Your heavenly banquet. Grant that this Sacrament may be to us a comfort in affliction, and a pledge of our inheritance in that kingdom where there is no death, neither sorrow nor crying, but the fullness of joy with all Your saints, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
THE COMMENDATION The Highgrove Singers sing The Russian Contakion of the Departed
Give rest, O Christ, to Your servant with Your saints. Where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting.
You only are immortal, the Creator and Maker of mankind; and we are mortal, formed of the earth, and to the earth shall we return. For so did You ordain when you created me, saying, ‘You are dust, and to dust shall you return.’ All of us go down to the dust; yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Give rest, O Christ, to Your servant with Your saints, where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting. Amen
Celebrant: All: Celebrant:
Lord Have Mercy. Christ Have Mercy. Lord Have Mercy.
All: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name; your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen. Celebrant: Let us commend our sister KEVA to the mercy of God our Maker and Redeemer. Deliver Your servant KEVA, O Sovereign Lord Christ, from all evil, and set her free from every bond, that she may rest with all Your Saints in the eternal habitations; where with the Father and the Holy Spirit You live and reign, one God for ever and ever. All: Amen. Celebrant:
Let us pray:
All:
Into Your hands, O merciful Saviour we commend Your servant KEVA. Acknowledge we humbly beseech you, a sheep of Your own fold, a lamb of Your own flock, a sinner of Your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of Your mercy, into the blessed rest of eternal peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen
Celebrant: All:
Rest eternal grant to her O Lord. And let light perpetual shine upon her.
Celebrant: All:
May she rest in peace. Amen.
Celebrant: All:
May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.
Celebrant: All:
Let us go forth in the name of Christ. Thanks be to God.
THE BRASS ENSEMBLE OF THE ROYAL BAHAMAS POLICE FORCE BAND PLAYS THE LAST POST AND REVEILLE
The Highgrove Singers sing “Lord Our God Receive Your Servants” by John Bell (1910 – ) RECESSIONAL HYMN: “For All The Saints” For all the saints who from their labours rest, Who thee by faith before the world confessed, Thy name, O Jesu, be for ever blest. Alleluia.
And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long, Steals on the ear the distant triumph-song, And hearts are brave again and arms are strong. Alleluia.
Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might; Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight; Thou, in the darkness, still their one true Light. Alleluia.
The golden evening brightens in the west; Soon, soon to faithful warriors comes their rest: Sweet is the calm of Paradise the blest. Alleluia.
O may thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold, Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old, And win, with them, the victor’s crown of gold. Alleluia.
But lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day; The saints triumphant rise in bright array: The King of Glory passes on his way. Alleluia.
O blest communion, fellowship divine! We feebly struggle, they in glory shine; Yet all are one in thee, for all are thine. Alleluia.
From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast, Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host, Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost Alleluia.
“Dr. Bethel had a tremendous amount of influence on Queen’s College. She served as a Member of the Board of Governors as though Queen’s College was her own, almost as though she was herself responsible for the casting of the vision for the school and the implementation of its mission, which together have guided the growth of Queen’s College in its journey toward excellence and its inclusive educational policies.”
Rev. William R Higgs
President, Bahamas Conference of The Methodist Church Chairman, Queen’s College Board of Governors.
In Keva’s most beautiful tribute to my late husband, Winston Saunders, she stated: “In every generation, in every context, a few rare individuals rise up who are endowed by God with a rich and wide-ranging array of special gifts – gifts which made their possessors particularly precious in the lives of their families, friends and societies.” Indeed, she could have been speaking about herself, as Keva was such an individual. A great scholar, educator, promoter of culture, dedicated Bahamian patriot has exited the stage. We thank God for her many contributions to our society. Personally, I have lost my best friend – a person I could confide in, one who quietly shared her wisdom, who understood me and who supported and encouraged me when I lacked confidence. She was there in good times and in bad, and I shall sorely miss her. Keva was a faithful servant of God, a generous and virtuous woman, who loved her family, friends and the Bahamian community. As she said in her tribute to Winston, I say of her, I believe that she in the presence of the Lord and I take solace in the belief that she tried to fulfill, as the prophet Micah states, that the Lord requires of us: “…to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God…” (Micah 6:8).
Dr. Gail Saunders
Special Thanks Mrs. Monique Alfred Mrs. Tammy Ali Burrows Mr. Adrian Archer Ms Suzanne Black Mr. David Burrows Mr. Anthony Butler Dr. Earla Carey-Baines Ms Maureen French Mr. and Mrs. Matthew and Julie-André Knowles Ms Sonia Laing & Staff Mr. Mark Lunn Mrs. Delice Lynch Mr. James Mackey Mr. Lowell Mortimer Dr. Anne Mortimer-Whitehead and family Ms Michelle Patterson Mr. and Mrs. Hugh and June Sands Dr. Gail Saunders Mr. Percy Sawyer Mr. Roland Valcin and family Dr. Keith Wisdom The Department of Archives Dr. Pandora Johnson Candia Dames
Cable Bahamas Board of Directors Highgrove Singers IWF Bahamas Queen’s College Board of Governors Nurse Dawn Albury Nurse Khristine Wring The nurses of Nurses N.N.O.W. Drs. John and Sonja Lunn and Staff Dr. Wesley Francis and Staff Dr. Raleigh Butler Dr. Michael Darville Dr. Kevin Moss Dr. James Iferenta Mr. Charles Sealy Doctors Hospital M. D. Anderson Medical Center THE GUARDIAN The Tribune All persons who contributed photographs to this memory book
Message Of Gratitude For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever. Keva’s journey through her illness made us all stronger individuals as she was so courageous standing in the face of adversity. We are all assembled here not by chance but to pay tribute to the life of Keva as she has enriched us all with her unconditional love. We were blessed to have known her as a mother, aunt, cousin, and friend and her prints will never fade from the lives she has touched. We are grateful for the support of all those who called, visited, talked with her, prayed for her, and cared for her in her illness; and all those who, known or unknown to us, expressed their love for her in infinite ways great and small. We would like to express our humble gratitude and sincere appreciation to those who, in one way or another provided our family with the support and prayers that has comforted us in our time of sorrow. As we seek to move forward from this place, let us remember Keva’s spirit of love, hope and courage, finding strength in the knowledge that all things are working for the good of them that love the Lord. May God Bless and keep each of you in his perfect peace. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Keva M. Bethel Foundation.
The Family Services Rendered By: Kemp’s Funeral Home
P.O. Box N-1222 Nassau, Bahamas
T: 393.2022 F:394-3694 Kempsfuneralhome@coralwave.com