Stylish send-off for Marshall-Holdip

As stylish as she was in life, so too was the send-off given to Dianne Marshall-Holdip in death by her family and friends.

Her body arrived in a carriage befitting a queen and, as the funeral service got going, speaker after speaker praised her.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Brigid Annisette-George, Marshall-Holdip’s best friend, told the mourners at the Our Lady of Fatima RC Church in Curepe yesterday, Marshall-Holdip’s standard disclaimer and affirmation was, “I not from here, I am 100 per cent Grenadian pure and undiluted” even if she was gleefully joining with Benjai singing ‘I’s a Trini.’

Annisette-George said, as much as Marshall-Holdip distinguished herself in terms of her birthplace Grenada, and had great allegiance to her domicile TT, she was a staunch proponent of professionalism and Caribbean integration.

She described her best friend as very supportive, reliable, always available and true to her name, “Goddess of the moon,” some said. “She took friendship as a sweet responsibility, not an opportunity.” She also said Marshall-Holdip hunted accuracy and rejected mediocrity. Annisette-George said everywhere her friend went she had a notepad, for a purpose, and would point out inaccuracies to offenders.

She also spoke of her friend’s love for photography and the culture of the region – but she had a special passion for calypso, and Massy All Stars. Those things had her euphoric.

Marshall-Holdip’s widower, High Court Judge Justice Malcolm Holdip, described her as a nurturer and counsellor of their children and, during her challenges with cancer, she never spoke negatively of anything.

“She always hoped, and with her confidence, there would be a miraculous healing because her faith in the power of Jesus never waned. She was a sparkle not only in my life, but her rays touched the lives of so many others.”

He also spoke of her keen sense of style, telling of an episode between her and a friend who came out to show off their wear at an event. The congregation laughed when Holdip mimicked his wife: “You think you alone looking nice here today?”

Holdip said they were both lay Eucharistic ministers at the St John’s RC Church in St Augustine, playing a substantive role in the first communion and confirmation classes. They were also active in the church community in St Kitts and Grenada. He said his wife was a prayer warrior who found solace in the times she was before the Blessed Sacrament.

"She believed in the Lord and Saviour. Dianne never spoke of death or being afraid of death. And so her faith was that of an unwavering soldier of the risen Christ. Coming to the end, she would merely say ‘by thy strides, I shall be healed.'"

As their daughter began to read a tribute to her mother, written by her aunt Hazel Thompson-Ahye, she broke down in tears. But with the support of her father at her side she read:

"Dianne Marshall Holdip, our own Lady D, Born in Grenada, but a true, true Trini.

A loving daughter, wife, and mother, Malcolm would never find another.

Thirty-four years of a very happy marriage, Dianne and Malcolm, always together like horse and carriage

The fruits of their union, beautiful children, all three, Jarryd, Arielle, Yannick as you can all see.

Carnival fete, calypso tent, steelband yard, She always there and she jamming hard

Calypso and Carnival judge, so fair, her knowledge and expertise beyond compare.

When law students needed food or clothes to wear, matter fixed, Mother Dianne to the rescue was there.

When a government would not pay a student’s fee, aggressive fund-raising by Dianne we’d see..."

Among the large crowd of mourners were President Anthony Carmona, Sharon Rowley - wife of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, acting Chief Justice Allan Mendonca, Senate president Christine Kangaloo and members of the Caribbean Court of Justice. Marshall-Holdip was privately cremated after the service.