This memorial website was created in the memory of our loved one, Darnley Lorde who was born in Barbados on June 19, 1926 and passed away on October 22, 2004 at the age of 78. We will remember him forever.

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Family updates can be found in the legacy section:

Darnley's Obituary
 http://www.freewebs.com/darnley/

Eulogy for Daddy
Saturday October 30, 2004.
"To Reach the Mountain Top"

Family members and dear friends.
We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of Darnley Dacosta Lorde.
As his daughter I have the honour to speak on the behalf of our family. So to communicate the essence of what this time means in his life. I will start by offering the words used by Kahill Gibran in writing the book, entitled ”The Prophet” since they capture succinctly and powerfully this point in the life of Darnley.

“For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun.
And what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?
Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached the mountaintop, then you shall begin to climb.
And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance”.

Darnley reached the mountaintop on the 22nd of this month of October. The heights, he now soars, came after a climb of 78 years upon this earth and since he never quit at any task in his life, he fought long with his ever-weakening heart, until a stroke caused him to finally lose the battle.

Within those 78 years he has lived a life that was full.  Filled with love, filled with great times and wonderful moments. He was the eldest of five (5) siblings. Eileen, Orley, Pat, and Judy, each are left with special memories of him.

Eileen at this time remembers him as a loving small boy visiting their home in St Phillip. Darnley was raised by his godmother Isadora Hoyte in Carrington’s Village along with her other Godson Grafton.  These two lived as brothers.

Darnley would spend school holidays with the family in Diamond Valley. This loving boy who was born out of the love James Grimes had for Elsie Lorde.
Although Darnley was not present daily in the Life of Eileen at that time, he still developed a special bond with her, she remembers him being given the Saturday treat of pudding and souse and he refusing to eat until he was sure there was some for her.

Darnley grew into a handsome, young man and was seen by his peers as a master of style and charm, and of course , he caught the eye of the young women in Carrington’s village.  This made him the proud father of Tony and Diana, and while testing his charm in Dominica where he worked for a short while, he was further blessed by the birth of Egbert.

Darnley loved to dance, and play the saxophone; he had a passion for the saxaphone stylings of Ace Cannon and the big band sound Glen Miller. But this was not his only passion, his love for a fine automobile was evident throughout his life. It was no great surprise to those who knew him that if ever you were in trouble with yours he would come to your rescue.

His neighbours of later years are sure to remember this aspect of him Michele Smith, and Kitty, his next-door neighbours, whom, he assigned the duty of preparing him for his final rest, have benefited from the aid of he and his tool bag, mornings in the past when they were challenged by mechanical failures.

Darnley’s love for tinkering with engines was a result of the years he worked at Courtesy Garage as a driver of “the Wrecker” as it was called. This was in the 1960’s

Darnley’s passion for cars did not end with his mechanical interest. My earliest memories of him are always accompanied by the memory of his black Wyvern Vauxhall with its brilliant polish shine and chrome accessories. He took great pride in the way he maintained that car, and this continued throughout his life and the vehicles he owned at different times.

I am moved to say that I never dared to admit to him that I do not check under the hood of my car every day, and at times, my fuel needle, falls below the half way mark. For surely I would have received one of his long, disapproving stares followed by his ever popular, 'stupesesss' which would then most certainly be followed by the question “Girl are you an idiot?"

Many of us now cherish the times we were at the end of his stern remarks. Darnley was a tough, no-nonsense person. His sister Pat will never forget that time in her earlier years when he saw her sitting on a wall chatting with a young man, and he reversed his car, ordered her to go home and told her do so immediately.

Darnley also possessed a rich sense of humor; his comical musings always caused us to laugh.
Being the perfectionist he also was, he was thrift and, he was an extremely well organized individual. Judy remembers how important it was to be on time when going anywhere with him. The family’s annual picnics where he would point out all the interesting sites.
He took his responsibility for taking care of his family very seriously.

We remember how dedicated Daddy was to his job, the many years he spent operating his taxi at the then Hilton Hotel.
At times when asked, "who is your father", I only had to say "he drives Z7", and most of the time that was all I needed to tell who was my father.

On occasions when family members would try to point out to him ‘Darnley you don’t need to go to work on Christmas day”, He would reply ”Don’t you think that someone has to look after the tourists?” But he would always return in time for the family lunch.

January 1^st was a day he never entertained the idea of going to work. He was married to Ruby on the first of January 1957 and that marriage remained successful the entire 47 years of their union.

Ruby ever mindful of her vow, 'through sickness and heath, till death do us part'. She took care of him through the good times and through the times when his health failed him, paying extra special attention to his comfort and needs as he neared the end.

His union with Ruby, produced me, one who is said to have inherited his wit, and stern tongue and Marlene who remained always near him and became his personal driver during the last two years of his life.

Darnley was special to many …….  and as I look across the faces, I see those who have travelled a great distance to be here with him today.

Uncle Robbie and Auntie Ida.
Robbie has been his pal of many years he loved him as a brother, and they spent many wonderful times together.

Chris, his cousin, who will miss him immensely when he is here on holiday. Their morning exercise walks, which gave them time to chat and exchange their amusing stories, have come to an end.

My Sister Diana and her family will remember with a smile, how at one time daddy assessed that there had been too many plane crashes in the world.  And he declared “I will never travel on a plane again, so I am no longer coming to New Jersey to spend my holidays with you. When you want to see me, you to come to Barbados”.   Which she obediently did on more than one occasion, and is here today to visit him for the last.

Someone once said…… "No one's death comes to pass without making some impression, and those close to the deceased inherit part of the liberated soul and become richer in their humanness.

Darnley made a lasting impression on everyone he met. His light has not been extinguished; he lives in the hearts and the Spirits of us all, but most especially in the smiles and laughter of our young family members: his grandchildren, his great-grandchildren, his nieces, his nephews,  his great nieces, his great nephews.

I now end by giving thanks to the all powerful, eternal spirit for the life of Darnley, and as you join me in saying goodbye, let us not do so with sorrowful hearts and tearful farewells, but with a sense of Celebration, that he has lived a life that was full, a life that was filled with the love of family and of friends both near and far, let us be glad in our hearts that he has passed without pain, without prolonged suffering, and though we will miss him, we here celebrate his reaching that special gathering place, that great height on the divine mountaintop where he will ........... forever rest in peace

--Pamela Elsinore Forte


(This site is a work in progress)
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