Sheena Gayle, Freelance Writer

Dufour

WESTERN BUREAU:

"She was the best mother in the world", were the words spoken by The Most Rev Charles Dufour, Roman Catholic Bishop of Montego Bay, of his mother Mavis Louise Dufour, who died last week of pneumonia.

"I admired my mother's spirit of giving. She was always helping the underprivileged without the need to broadcast her deeds, as long as she did something to assist someone that would make her happy," recalled Bishop Dufour, the eldest of her five children.

Her cheer from giving was not only for members of her community, but those of her church family at the Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church in Kingston, where she was an active member.

Great strength

"Growing up with my mother was an excellent experience, as while we were not rich or poor, my mother and father ensured that all of us were well taken care of," the clergyman shared.

While Charles Dufour Sr - a French national - predeceased Mrs Dufour in 1968, Bishop Dufour revealed that his mother embraced her parental role with great strength. She was family oriented, he said, and enjoyed spending time with her children.

Bishop Dufour recalled that the last time the family spent with her was in 2007 when he was presented with national honours as a Commander of the Order of Distinc-tion. However, she became ill soon after and was cared for at The Pines Retirement Home at St Joseph's Hospital.

Mrs Dufour died at age 88. Bishop Dufour noted that before his mother died on February 15, a nurse at the facility saw when she raised her right hand with her palm outstretched.

Ready to go

"It was as if she was saying. 'I'm ready, my Father'," he said.

Mrs Dufour is survived by four other children: Tony, Francis, Marie Buteau and Freddie. A thanksgiving service will be held on Saturday, February 23, at Sts Peter and Paul church, St Andrew, beginning at 1:00 p.m. She will be interred at the Dovecot Memorial Park.