The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

SIX DAYS before Mother's Day, when the 94 year old matriarch would have surely received great honours, Annie "Ma" Louise Adams passed away.

The way she taught her children and grandchild to pray and love the lord, is one lesson that sticks with family members.

Ma Adams made it her business every morning to wake her grandchildren and ensure they got on their knees and gave God thanks.

"It was a must that we go to church every Sunday. And you had better be ready to go because she wasn't having that," granddaughter Shirl Roker told Tribune Religion.

Ms Adams had six children of her own, three who were formerly deceased, and she was known for taking care of other children in her community.

She left memories that will live in her children and grandchildren for years to come, said Ms Roker.

Ma Adams was born in Belize, formerly British Honduras, and she grew up in Turks and Caicos Island.

"In her younger days, she left school to go and work for the British soldiers in Turks Island. After a while, a judge ordered her to go back to school to complete her time and she went back and completed. She eventually migrated to Freeport after she got married and moved to Nassau many years ago," said Ms Roker.

Ms Roker said her grandfather was on the contract, which allowed her grandmother the means to move her children to Nassau.

When Ma Adams was not taking care of her family, she spent most of her days in the kitchen baking sweet goods.

"She used to bake cakes and bread for us, and she would sell it as well on Saturdays. She would also make fruit cakes during Christmas time. They were getting sold to people as far as in New York City," said Ms Roker.

She said her grandmother was a bit of a disciplinarian, who taught them how to handle and take good care of themselves at a young age. She even spent days teaching them her trades, sewing and baking.

"My cousin, her oldest granddaughter, is actually a professional chef, and she learned what she knows from our grandmother," she said.

Ms Roker said she remembers a few words often spoken by her grandmother: "If you want to get something of value in life, you have to close your eyes to some things."

At first Ms Roker said she took offense to the message, but eventually she came to understand the true meaning.

"I thought about what she said and I decided to save more of my money and not spend so much. They were wise words," she said.

Many of Ms Roker's memories come from spending family time with her grandmother.

"Every time she would cook her peas soup, all of the family would come around. As old as she was, she still enjoyed going outside to clean and season fish. She would tell us old stories over and over again. She just loved having us around, always wanting us to be at peace with each other."

Speaking about her grandmother's final days, Ms Roker said Ms Adams suffered from a heart condition and her heart was failing. She said the day before she died, there was no indication that she was dying. She was eating normally, and there were no warning signs.

"My uncle was with her the night before just talking and he ended up sleeping at her foot in her bed. He did not even know she had died. He was still asleep when my aunt went into the room to wake her, only to discover she had passed away, that is how quietly she went. Peacefully in the comfort of her own home, " said Ms Roker.