Governor-General, Sir Howard Cooke (centre), speaking with Mr. Mark Kerr-Jarrett, son of the late Peter Kerr-Jarrett, real estate developer, after the thanksgiving service at the St. James Parish Church, Montego Bay, yesterday. - Noel ThompsonWESTERN BUREAU:
FAMILY AND friends of Peter Francis Kerr-Jarrett yesterday packed the St. James Parish Church, Montego Bay, to pay their last respects to the man whose contribution to the development of the resort town encompassed education, religion and social services.
The two-hour church service which started promptly at 3 p.m. saw state officials and community leaders paying glowing tributes to Mr Kerr-Jarrett and expressing gratitude for the many gifts of cash and land that he had made to various organisations during his lifetime.
Mr. Kerr-Jarrett, 84, died last Tuesday night at his home.
"The social fabric of the community has been greatly strengthened by these deeds. He was a man of integrity, unselfishness and love. Uncermoniously he went about doing good," said Sir Howard Cooke, Governor-General.
Sir Howard's was the first in a series of tributes; others came from the church choir, the Salvation Army, the 4-H Club and Karen Smith, who gave a stirring rendition of the song "To God Be The Glory".
They were all full of praise for Mr. Kerr-Jarrett, whose life as a lawyer and land developer, was outlined in the remembrance by Christopher Bovell, attorney-at-law. There were tributes also from people who were unable to attend the service.
"I thank my Heavenly Father for my earthly father, a man of great faith. The greatest gift he gave me was a reliance on the love of our Saviour, Jesus", said his daughter, Judith, who sent her tribute from Australia, where she lives.
After the service, the family led by Mr. Kerr-Jarrett's son, Mark Kerr-Jarrett, filed out of the church; he carried his father's ashes in a small wooden box.
Mr Kerr-Jarrett told reporters that the ashes would be interred in the Pye River Cemetery at a later date.
