Members of the community of Gayle, St Mary, and surrounding areas came out in their numbers Wednesday for a candlelight celebration of the life of Dennis Edwards businessman, retired teacher and sports coach.
Mr Edwards, who is also known to many in the West St Mary community as Dennis Mattar, was shot and killed and his licensed firearm taken from him on Monday, August 22.
He and his family have lived in the area for decades and he was a teacher for 47 years. He was shot dead near to the square in Gayle as he walked along the road.
Area residents believe that his killers are known to the police, but the police have not made any arrests up to Saturday, September 3.
Close friends of his and past students got together and put on the candle light event in Gayle, Wednesday evening, August 31.
Jermain Kidd, one of the organizers said the event was to show solidarity and express disgust as well as to say appreciation for the life of a well-loved community stalwart
Mr Kidd said Edwards was “An iconic individual in the community” and impacted most young and middle aged people in the area of Gayle and surrounding communities.
Luke Thomas Shorter head of St Monica’s College in Ocho Rios, St Ann, described Edwards as a fellow Kiwanian and a former Distinguished President of the Kiwanis Club of Ocho Rios. Thomas-Shorter said Edwards was his best friend. “I am still trying to get over it. He always helped people.” He chuckled several times in remembering Edwards, his generosity and his humour.
Errol Bascoe still can’t believe Mr Edwards was shot down and killed in a community he had served for years. He said Edwards was well loved and had taught generations of residents of the Gayle and other communities, first at Derry Primary then at Tacky High where he worked for more than 30 years. “Everybody loved him. I thought he could walk anywhere and sleep with his window and doors open. He was so loved,” Mr Bascoe said.
Mr Bascoe came to Tacky 17 years ago and saw Mr Edwards there, working as head of the Physical Education department. But he said Edwards was more than that. He said Edwards was mentor especially to the young boys and kept them in shape seeing to it that they followed the dress code, even if it was to tell them to tuck in their shirts. He said Edwards gave them guidance. Though Edwards retired from 2013, he would always turn up at the schools each September and the start of different terms to help with sports. “He never left Tacky,” Basoce said.
Franklin McKnight
