Una May Minott

OBITUARY UNA MAY MINOTT 1925 -2020 OUR BEAUTIFUL, PRECIOUS MAMA-UNA MAY JONES-MINOTT was born on October 1, 1925 in the district of Craighead, Manchester Jamaica W.I. to Rebecca Campbell-(Sitta) and Edward Jones- (Mass Eddie). She attended Craighead All-Age School until she was 15. Mama was always interested in the Culinary Arts, and so, she attended the House Craft Training Center in Kingston where she honed the skills in the various local and international dishes. Our cupboard was never empty of food, because Mama would be found to 'tu[r]n her hand and make fashion'-cooking, baking, frying and laying out tasty desserts to be devoured. I can recall when Mama would bake, my late sister Sharon Minott (1964-2004) and I usually fight for the spoon and bowl that was used in the batter to make the Grater Cakes, the Toto, and the Sweet Potato Pudding. Our Mama was a member and one of the Mothers' of the Pentecostal Baptist Church in the Bronx. She loved and feared God. She was a force to be reckoned with when it came to church and Sunday School. I would dare anyone of us to tell her we are not going to church on Sunday and you'd see what happens. . Prayer time and Bible reading was compulsory in our home and we had to be involved in the partaking of The Word. Her favorite verse was from Psalm 37:25- "I am young but now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor His seed begging for bread." Her favorite hymn was "Great is Thy Faithfulness." When we would go through anything challenging, she would always remind us that- "God will provide and make a way". It was her love and trust in God which endeared us to want to know Him. Mama was a very quiet person and did not like quarrels and arguments. She would give away her rights for peace. I really believe when the Bible says in St. Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God",my beloved mother was a child of God. She had her first child-Arlene at age 33. Then, on July 15, 1967 she married her late husband-Aubrey Altamont Minott (1922-1977) and became a mother to his daughter-Sharon Caroline Minott (1964-2004). A few years later they gave birth to their precious son-Vaughn. Mama was a hardworking woman who became a widow very early. She was always figuring ways to make money. As an entrepreneur, she would sell ice, ducks, chicken and callaloo. I remember her getting up early morning to fix our breakfast before heading off to her domestic job in Kingston. She was even employed some months as one of many painters to paint the new Papine Secondary School. At one point, I saw her, along with others- throwing rocks- as foundation- to create the newly paved roads where we lived. Since Mama was an early riser, she was never late getting home and preparing our dinner. We always had a nutritious, tasty meal on the table. I especially loved when Fridays came, as she would cook well-seasoned liver, soft, boiled/crushed green bananas with diced sweet peppers, some slices of tomatoes, and buttery, ripe yellow avocado. She would add a mug of rich, home grown hot chocolate tea to wash it down. When anyone came over, they were always guaranteed a sumptuous treat. She was a great hostess, who displayed hospitality to all. She loved her family immensely, but Mama loved her children dearly. She was very concerned about every aspect of our lives. She was our fiercest advocate and protector. In Jamaica, I recalled one quiet, dark night being asleep. Suddenly, I felt a hand over my mouth and realized it was Mama. In the pitch, black night, she ushered Vaughn, Sharon and I down to the safety of the cellar. Once underneath the safety of the alcove, she told us that she had seen menacing gunmen outside and was not waiting for them to attack or assault us. Mama became a world traveler late in life. She came permanently to the United States in September 1994. She twice visited Canada and England, stood in the shadows of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, saw Balmoral Castle in Scotland, hung out in Aruba, and did sightseeing across this great nation. She was truly a fun person, gasping in amazement and laughing with excitement at the sites and sights-when we were on the move. MAMA WAS AN EXCELLENT MOTHER and Proverbs 31:10-31 so richly describes her. On Saturday August 29, 2020, our family recognized, honored and crowned Mama- via Zoom as- "The Matriarch of the Jones' Family." It was truly a night of exuberance which she reflected on, on numerous occasions. We remember the many nights when she would join the family zoom platform prayer group. She would pray for protection for not only her family members who were frontline workers but also for others who were under the onslaught of the Corona Virus. One of her greatest joy was to see some of her siblings when she travelled to Jamaica last year to pay her last respects to her brother in law Papa Leslie. Another ray of bliss was when her 93 year old sister Venetta came from Britain to the United States to visit her. They were like children chatting way into the night. She will be sorely missed by her children-Arlene and Vaughn, grandchildren-Amaris, Chad, Keneisha and Xajay, great granddaughter-Gabrielle, Sisters- Venetta and Delores (England), Susan(Tat), Cecelia(Cissy), Neslin, (Jamaica), Vernice and Lina(Canada), Louise (USA);her brothers- Basil, Robert, Cargill,(Jamaica), her nieces and nephews-too many to mention; friends and church family. She is pre-deceased by her brother-George, sisters-Sylvia, Florence and Madeline. Let us live our lives that 'when the roll is called up yonder we will All be there'. May her Soul Rest in Peace Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 am to 12:00 noon on Friday November 27, 2020 at Lacerenza Funeral home 8 Schuyler Ave Stamford CT 06902 The Funeral services will be live streamed on Zoom and Facebook Zoom Meeting: ID 821 148 6236 Passcode:6m2XwJ Facebook : Pentecostal Baptist Church Interment: St John Cemetery 25 Camp Ave Darien CT, 06820 ***DUE TO COVID-19 MASK IS REQUIRED TO ENTER THE BUILDING …