Kencot Seventh-day Adventist Church in St. Andrew was filled to capacity on Sunday morning as hundreds of mourners turned out to say goodbye to Martin Henry, educator and public affairs commentator, who died suddenly on May 28.
Mr. Henry, who was 61, died on the same day that Edward Seaga, a former prime minister, passed away. He had just finished speaking of Seaga’s career, on Television Jamaica’s Primetime News, when he fell gravely ill and was pronounced dead at hospital a few minutes later.
In the many tributes that were paid on Sunday, Martin Henry was remembered by relatives and members of the church as an ardent family man and Adventist elder who led by example.
Eulogy
Two of his children – Theodore and Lawrie – delivered the eulogy, a task made less difficult to accomplish by the fact that their father sent them much of those written details of his life five months before his passing, they revealed.
"He ensured that myself and my brother received a solid education; he taught us to think," Lawrie asserted of her father.
Gleaner and RJR
That capacity “to think” was in evidence throughout much of Martin Henry’s life and work, and this was highlighted by Gary Allen, CEO of the RJRGLEANER Group.
He recalled that Henry’s first column for The Gleaner was published on Thursday November 5, 1987, and that his final column came on Sunday May 26, 2019, two days before he died.
“When you read his last column about BREXIT and the EU, you cannot help but return to the headline of his first column 31 years ago, ‘At the Cross Roads’, and realise that this is where they are today,” Mr. Allen noted.
He added that over the three decades of writing, Martin Henry “explored a wide range of topics, analysed many developments and put into context numerous national, regional and international changes.”
“The scope of understanding he brought to bear on these developments, was breadth-taking,” he added.
Henry’s contribution to national discourse was also evident in his work in electronic media, most consistently on That’s a Rap, the Sunday news review show aired on RJR 94FM since August 10, 2008. He was a panelist on that first edition of the show, and made his final appearance on May 26, 2019, just two days before his passing.
The RJRGLEANER Group CEO quoted Martin Henry’s own written words of appreciation for That’s a Rap:
“A big part of the magnetic pull of That’s A Rap is the audience. I am constantly amazed – and deeply gratified -- at the extent and engagement of the listenership to a Sunday mid-day radio programme when acquaintances and complete strangers in the streets walk up to discuss chapter and verse of a programme.
“That’s A Rap, ten years and counting” is a tagline of the programme that I want to continue contributing to. It makes me happy and useful to my fellow citizens.”
NIA
The tribute by Professor Trevor Munroe, Executive Director of National Integrity Action (NIA), the transparency watchdog agency, was read on his behalf by Fae Ellington, Deputy Chairman of the board of that organization.
Of Martin Henry, a founding board member of NIA, Professor Munroe recalled that Martin participated in the groups very first meeting on November 11, 2011, and “who never ever missed a Board meeting in seven and a half years since; but who in his public duties to NIA, never lost sight of the importance of family and priority of the human element.”
“As Executive Director, I personally benefitted from Martin’s measured advice, balanced opinion and mature insights,” he added.
Church
In all, there were 17 tributes, in song and spoken word, many of them coming from Mr. Henry’s Seventh-day Adventist church community, reflecting his journey from his original home church in Somerset, St. Thomas, to his final place of regular worship, Guava GAP SDA in St. Andrew.
His older brother, Dr. Eric Henry, in his sometimes emotional, sometimes funny reflections, revealed that Martin was the last of 12 children, born when his mother was 48 years old, who showed wisdom beyond his years from the beginning.
Tribute was also paid by Dr. Paul Ivey, Associate Vice President of The University of Technology, where Martin Henry was Academic Manager for more than a decade.
He announced that the university will establish the Martin Henry Award for best research.
The family has established at the Jamaica Money Market Brokers, the Martin Henry Academic Scholarship Fund for needy students. The account number for that fund is 1347319.
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