Honoring Guyanese lost to Coronavirus

Maurice Leyland Gordon, popularly known as “Tripee”, was
born on May 5, 1945 to the late Claude Ivan Gordon and
the late Agatha Gordon in Georgetown, Guyana, South
America.

His early Christian and secular education were obtained in
Georgetown at St. Stephens Primary School. Upon leaving
school, Tripee was employed in various skilled and
unskilled positions. He also worked for Guyana Airways
Corporation for a period of time. Regardless of whatever job
he held, Tripee always found the time to practice his first
love and primary craft, his culinary skills. He was the camp
cook for the YMCA camps he attended in the late
1960’s. Tripee’s legendary culinary skills were first
introduced to the public way back in the day, in Guyana,
where his delicious cook-up rice made with a liberal portion
of cow tripe became famous. He has been credited for
cooking the best tripe cook-up rice in the history of Guyana
and the Caribbean. This is what led to his nickname
“Tripee”.

Tripee immigrated to the United States on January 10,
1975. Upon his arrival he enrolled at the New York
Institute of Dietetics – Culinary School. He excelled in his
studies and graduated at the top of his class. Subsequent
to his graduation he launched his world famous Tripee’s
Caribbean Restaurant located at 887 Nostrand Avenue,
Brooklyn, New York at the corner of Crown Street. His
restaurant became a fixture of the Guyanese community in
Brooklyn. Tripee’s Caribbean Restaurant was one of the
first pre-eminent Guyanese and West Indian restaurants in
the New York area at that time. Tripee’s was the place for
your home away from home exquisite Guyanese
cuisine. Guyanese people who either came to live in, or to
visit New York, made it their duty to visit Tripee’s
restaurant in line with the restaurant’s popular slogan
“have you eaten at Tripee’s lately?” To this day, Guyanese
from all over the world continue to congregate at “Tripee’s
Corner” at Nostrand and Crown to celebrate Labor Day in
true Guyanese style and fashion.

Tripee had a highly creative, inventive, and innovative
cooking and baking style. His specialty was preparing
dishes with his own unique style in ways that it was never
done before. In the words of his daughter Denise “Daddy’s creativity in the kitchen taught me to bring a solutionoriented
perspective to everything that I do. We often
figured out meals by what ingredients we had available
instead of what the recipe required. Viewing life through
this lens has helped me to be a better mother, wife and
nurse”. Tripee invented bake and saltfish with the salt fish
cooked inside of the bake. He also created the eggless
omelet.

Tripee was a music lover and an avid sports fan. He loved
to listen to music while he cooked. One of his favorite
singers was the mighty sparrow. In the area of sports as a
young man he played soccer like his older brother Vernon,
who played for the Guyana Police Force. Tripee played
soccer for the Santos football club. He was a
goalkeeper. Tripee loved boxing. Many of Guyana’s
professional boxers would come to visit him at the
restaurant when they came to New York. He was also a
member of the YMCA for a number of years.

Apart from being an awesome, outstanding, and gifted chef,
Tripee was also a fun loving, caring, loving, loyal,
compassionate human being. He was very family oriented
in every sense of the term. He had a way of bringing a
unique sense of comfort, assurance, and dependability to
his family. This quality was extended to his numerous
friends as well. This incredible man was adored by his
family as well as so many in the community. His legendary
culinary skills, his caring nature, his humor, and his love
of people and life are some of the many traits that
characterized his amazing personality.

This awesome father was a living example to his
children. He taught them many valuable lessons about life
and love. Additionally, they also learned a lot from him by
just paying attention to his style, conduct and
mannerism. From all appearances, it seems like if you
have Tripee’s DNA in your body that you automatically
inherit his culinary gifts and skills. All of his children are
excellent cooks and bakers. They all also exemplify the
habit of listening to music as they work their magic in the
kitchen. Indeed, in this case, the chips did not fall far from
the block.

Tripee was also very giving. When he had a lot, he shared it
with everyone and anyone who was in need. His church
home, New Life Center of Truth, honored him with a plaque

~ submitted by Errol J Lewis

The death is announced of Leslie Ellio Gill (also known as “Fat-Head”), formerly of National Registration Guyana, who passed away in New Jersey, USA on April 30, 2020. Leslie was born to the late Herbert and Elaine Gill on November 7, 1951 in Georgetown, Guyana. He was the nephew of the late Leslie Charlton Davis, Headmaster of Guyanese College. He is survived by his loving wife Cecily Anne Gill, six children, Leslie, Jr., Leyland, Marcell Bholo, Donna Codugan, and Antonius, and nine (9) Grandchildren. He was the brother of the late Jean Campbell of the United Kingdom, Aubrey, the late Compton Gill of the USA, Audrey, the late Herbie Gill, the late Beverly Stoute, the late Claude Gill, Barbara Taylor-Drakes,Sarah, and Herbert Gill, Jr. Cousin of Rudolph, Gordon, the late Stephen Edwards, Franklin and Keith Edwards, Aubrey, Oree, the late Victor Gill of Guyana Customs, Ouvrille, Dolsis, Ulric Gill, Jr. of Guyana To***co Factory, Patricia, the late Dr. Cheryl Gill, and Dawn Gill-McCammon, and Freddie Gill, Shirley John, Hazel and Maude Bruce, Sendall and Hector Gill

~ Submission by Hector

OBITUARY
VIDA WOODMAN (NEE COPPIN)

Vida Christina Woodman was born in Wakenaam, Essequibo, Guyana on December 22nd, 1931. She was the "baby" and sixth child of Naomi and Thomas Coppin. Vida received her education from St. John's Anglican School in Onderneeming Essequibo. Her family later relocated to Georgetown where she continued her education at St. Stephen's Scott School and Commercial School. In 1963 she married the late Leslie Woodman.

Vida worked at the Guyana Police Canteen in Georgetown for several years. She later became self employed as a successful seamstress. Vida was a fashionista, a snappy dresser, woman of fashion and a trend setter. She was also a great dancer/entertainer who was known for the parties and barn dances that she hosted. In 1974 she migrated to the United States where she worked as a Home Health Aide.

Vida had a personal relationship with the Lord. She was an active member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Brooklyn N.Y. until she became ill. She was involved in various fund raisers at St. Paul's most notably, the fashion show/dinners that she helped to organize.

Vida was a good steward and loving child of God who loved her family. She shared her life and left a legacy. Vida will be missed by all of us, but her memory will live on in our hearts. She is survived by her loving nieces Joycelyn Croft, Carol Hendricks, Ingrid Hoyte, Jennifer Charles, Maureen Williams, Mayline Bryant, Lorraine Coppin; nephews Charles Wason, Gordon Wason. Leroy Coppin, Morris Coppin; Euan Coppin; sister-in-law Waveney Coppin; cousins Winslow and Yvonne Osborne and the rest of the Osborne family; the Marshall Woodman family; the Lashley's of Georgia; a host of grandnephews and grandnieces; family and friends.

She has gone on to join her husband Leslie Woodman, parents Naomi and Thomas Coppin, brothers Eustace Coppin, Herman Coppin and Sydney Coppin, sisters Mildred James and Hyacinth Leonie Wason, brothers-in-law Phillip James and Eustace Wason, sister-in-law Anna Coppin, nieces Rhonda Douglas and Pauline Coppin.

May Her Soul rest in peace and rise in Glory
~Submitted by Lorraine Croft-Farnell

A Tribute To my Beloved Sister, Helen Alison Monah.
All Life Is Energy,
It is Neither Created Nor Destroyed, But Transforms Into New Expressions Of Itself.
Your departure was sudden and unexpected. The void you left is very real and unimaginable.
As the Almighty watches over your journey and grant you Eternal Peace, Power, And Glory Amongst The Ancestors. Your children, Alston, Rubena, David, and Tiffany will forever remember your sacrifices, commitment, and loyalty to family. Rest In Peace and Power.🙏🏾


⁣~ Submission by Charles A. Monah

Guyanese in the Diaspora Inc. in collaboration with the Consulate of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana invite you to a Zoom Forum to address the impact of COVID -19 on our communities.

The Forum will be held on Friday, 15 May 2020.

For registration please use this link:
https://bit.ly/GIDforum1
The zoom link will be sent to the registrant after registration is completed.

https://www.caribbeanlifenews.com/community-advocate-linden-branche-lost-to-covid-19/

Community advocate Linden Branche lost to COVID-19 - Caribbean Life News Kind and generous, were words that described late Guyanese-American Linden Branche, who was memorialized by friends and family, from far away as Guyana, Cayman Island, Hong Kong, Australia, Brazil, Canada, and the U.S. during a poignant virtual sendoff, organized by Charlestown Alumni Association, N...

Dear Guyanese,

Covid - 19 has spread throughout the world and has changed our daily lives. Many Guyanese or their loved ones have lost their lives to this deadly virus. As such, the National Communication Network (NCN) is interested to airing stories from those Guyanese in the diaspora that are affected by Covid-19.

It is our belief that if you tell your stories it will help Guyanese back home to fully understand that no one is invincible to this deadly virus.

If interested, persons are asked to make contact with Ms. Michella Abraham Ali of the National Communication Network(NCN) on telephone 592-624-8966 or email [email protected]

We would like to remember and honor Archie Lyte. Archie formerly from Linden lived in New Jersey. He died on the 9th April 2020. May he sleep on in peace

- Submitted by Deborah Blackmore

Obituary

On Monday, April 6, 2020, Avron Albert Alves, a loving husband and father passed away at the age of 57.

Avron was born on August 31, 1962 in Mahaica, East Coast of Demerara in Guyana to Irene Williams and Bertram McKay.

Avron received his early education at Mahaica Primary and Mahaica Multi-Lateral High School. He then migrated to Brooklyn, NY where he attended and graduated from New York City Technical College. Avron began working at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, where he continued working throughout his career in various roles.

On July 16, 1989 he married Rosemary Armstrong, and with this union a daughter, Jasmine, was born.

Avron enjoyed spending time with his family, doing projects around the house, taking island vacations and riding his bike. He was known for his sense of humor, work ethic and kind and compassionate spirit.

Avron was preceded in death by his father, Bertram and mother, Irene.

He leaves to cherish precious memories, his loving wife, Rosemary Alves; daughter, Jasmine Alves; sister, Iris Taylor; brothers: Felix Alves, Stephen Alves, Lennox Alves, Hubert Alves and Herol McKay; and several cousins, nieces and nephews.

- Submitted by Lennox Hamilton