By Prior Beharry
FORMER editor-in-chief of Newsday Suzanne Mills will be remembered as warrior.
This is how her brother Roger Mills described her at a memorial service at Church of Nativity, Crystal Stream, Diego Martin last Tuesday.
There was no casket as a picture of her decorated with flowers stood in front of the relatively small congregation of mourners.
Officiating priest Fr Mikhail Woodruffe said songs would be played upon request.
The service started with The Canadian Tenors Hallelujah and included Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds, a Spanish version of Ave Maria and the closing hymn All I Ask of You.
In a brief address to the mourners, Mills’ brother Roger said she made it clear that “we were not to belabour, talk too much, so I won’t.”
Roger said, “I just want to make clear that our family loved our sister dearly.
“While her life was full of rollercoaster moments, we think only of the high points.”
He added, “She was a warrior and as warriors we will speak her name with honour and pride.
“That’s how we feel. That’s how we’ll take her, and that’s how we’ll remember her.”
Roger said although Mills had no children, she loved her nieces and nephews. Therefore at the end of the service, Roger asked the congregation to sing happy birthday to Mills’ great nephew Asaiah.
A collection was taken up for mental health as Mills, who passed away at her Diego Martin home on August 15, openly wrote about being bipolar.
She was born on April 3, 1963, and was the daughter of Ken and Therese Mills. Her mother was the first editor-in-chief of Newsday and passed away in 2014 at the age of 85.
