REMEMBERING COUSIN OSCAR

by Winston Thomas (son-in-law).


According to the psalmist:

“A good man fears the Lord, delights in God’s commands and is gracious , compassionate and righteous; he is generous and exercises discretion. He is unshakeable in his faith and he has no fear because his trust is in God and thus he has a long life.”

Oscar Anthony Rhule projected this and more. Like a brilliant cricketer, he batted with style, finesse and pride for a wonderful innings of 90.

We all know that death is an inevitable appointment we all must keep, yet the sadness and the finality of it always cause sorrow and mourning. However, as we go through this ceremony today it would be good for us not to grieve too much, but make this a time for happy memories and thanksgiving to God for a life well lived.

Oscar Anthony Rhule was born on September 4, 1911 at Juan de Bolas to Jasper and Emily Rhule. His early religious education started at St. Luke’s Anglican Church at Juan de Bolas and he received his elementary education at the same church school.

His training was in carpentry and building construction. He was involved in the building of homes and public buildings but his pride and joy was the building of his own home.

He was married and reared eight children, his own as well as adopted. And so he has left Suzie (UK), Errol, Gennis, Arthur, Peter, Michael, Harry and Kevin as well as many grand and great grandchildren. They will no doubt have fond memories of a wonderful father who mothered and fathered them when they lost their mother at a tender age. When we hear of irresponsible fathers in Jamaica I always come to the defence of those men whom I know to be wonderful fathers and I would cite cases like my dear Cousin Oscar who epitomised the best in Jamaican fatherhood, who brought up his children with love and dignity after the death of their mother, Miss Ivy.

Cousin Oscar was well loved and respected in his community - lived a decent and upright life and was a role model for many. Children, grandchildren, relatives, and friends always enjoyed visiting him. He always found money to give or lend them although he never had much. I remember him as someone who always made me laugh; as someone who shared in our joys when we excelled in school and passed our examinations and someone who gave my father continuous words of encouragement .

Neatness and sartorial elegance was his hallmark. He would never be seen in a pair of shoes without his socks, even at home; his shirt was never out of his pants. His grandchildren would remark that Grandpa always looked as if he was going out. I remember seeing him at a few funerals of relatives and teasing him how he looked criss; the last time at the funeral of my godmother, Miss Inez Rhule when I jokingly asked him if he had come with a young ting why he looked so thrash and he said with that usual mischievous glint in his eyes,

“You never can tell, I might just find a young girl to rub the bald head.”

That is how I will always remember him as an elderly man with a young spirit, full of laughter and effervescence.

He was a member of the St. George’s Anglican Church at Point Hill where he once represented the Church on the St. Catherine Deanery Council and the Annual Synod. He was always devoted to the church and sometimes used up his carpentry skills in doing repairs to the church building.

He had a great sense of history and strongly believed in the oral tradition of passing down our cultural events in Jamaican History to his children and grandchildren in a humorous way. Elkanah Rhule visited some time ago and engaged him in a discussion about certain events of the pas. He was surprised at the fine details that he remembered. When Cousin Oscar discovered that Elkanah was writing his third book, he said

“Yes, I will tell the stories but I will leave the writing to people like Elkanah and Dor and I hope Errol and Gennis will publish what they write.”

He has left a challenge for us. His good memory, his sense of history and his love of people attracted many to him as the family historian.

Reading was his delight especially in his later years. That kept him up to date with the changes that were taking place around him.

His children, grandchildren, relatives and friends will remember that to have this “OSCAR” there are a few things that you need to do: Love God, Behave yourself and learn your lesson well.

For me Cousin Oscar’s death brings back vividly memories of my own father who passed on five years ago as whenever the two of them met they would always bet who would live to make the ninety or hundred mark and Cousin Oscar being the more positive of the two would boast that he would be there batting strongly even after the century. Both of them scored fine innings of over 90 and will now meet to discuss the rest of the innings in the great beyond. This was a life well-spent and now, I know Cousin Oscar, that wonderful human being would, like the great English poet laureate, Alfred Lord Tennyson, said to us all:

“The old order changeth, yielding place to new and God fulfils Himself in many ways lest one good custom should corrupt the world. Comfort thyself, what comfort is in me? I have lived my life and that which I have done, may he within himself make pure, but though if thou shouldst never see my face again, pray for my soul. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of .”

May his soul rest in peace and light perpetual shine upon him.

Amen.