A scene during the funeral service of the late Mavis Brooks-Salmon.
~ She fought cancer with grace, dignity ~
PHILIPSBURG--Wise, hardworking, courageous and big heart were some of the words Governor Eugene Holiday used to describe the late Mavis Brooks-Salmon, who was laid to rest on Saturday, after a period of illness battling cancer.
As Governor, Holiday serves as Chairperson of the Council of Advice, for which Brooks-Salmon, served as Vice Chair.
Holiday, who delivered the formal reflections in appreciation of her life and legacy during her funeral service, said his first and last memory of Brooks-Salmon is a memory of a strong woman handling and carrying her fight with cancer with grace and dignity. She displayed an attitude to life which she attributes to her faith in God.
He said, however, that his first and last will not be his lasting memory. “My lasting memory of Mavis, build up over the past nine plus years is of a wise, hardworking woman of substance with a sharp intellect and a yearning for learning and sharing, a woman with a big heart, a woman of courage, a woman with a strong personality who knew what she wanted,” Holiday said.
“She was passionate about her family, her friends, her work and about politics. And she believed that her service could help contribute to a better St. Maarten. And that she did.”
During the past nine plus years, Holiday said he had the privilege to meet with Brooks-Salmon on the last Thursday of each month. During the past days, he heard several persons describe her as strict and as a disciplinarian. He added that she was also highly disciplined and punctual. She not only disciplined others, she also held herself to that standard.
“Few things interfered with our scheduled monthly meeting. In fact, throughout her treatment we stayed in contact and spoke over the phone. And when she returned from the Netherlands, she called for our meeting. It would be our final formal meeting. On that December 5, 2019, I could only admire her courage, grace, strength and willpower. Because of these formal meetings I can claim the pleasure of knowing Mavis Brooks-Salmon.
As I got to know Mavis, I would, at times, witness the caring mother in her as she doted about her children. At other times, I would see the daughter or sister in her as she reminisced about her childhood growing up in Curaçao. On other occasions, I would see the devoted wife as she spoke about her husband. And in her references to her friends I saw a loyal friend,” Holiday reflected.
Brooks-Salmon was a teacher, a jurist, a politician, a Knight in the Order of Oranje Nassau, a deputy minister plenipotentiary of the former Netherlands Antilles and the Vice Chair of the Council of Advice of St. Maarten. Holiday said the summary of the positions she held does not do justice to the many capabilities of Brooks-Salmon, who he said was “the Champion for St. Maarten.
“As a teacher, she has impacted the life of generations of St. Maarteners and through her career she served as an inspiration for many. This is evident from the statements made by many persons over the past few days. It is a legacy which I know gives her great pleasure. While her career moved from teaching to Vice Chair of the Council of Advice it was obvious from our conversations that she never lost her passion for teaching and mentoring others. This tells a lot about Mavis Brooks-Salmon the person, who did not become arrogant because of her achievements but instead stayed true to her convictions that our service can help create a better life for others,” Holiday noted.
“As a jurist, it was her desire to serve on the Council of Advice to help shape the laws that govern our country St. Maarten. And she would do just that. As the first Vice Chair, or in fact Chair and Leader of the Council of Advice, she applied her teaching skills and left no stone unturned, as she worked with her colleagues and mentored members of the secretariat to form and develop the Council of Advice from the ground up.
“Mavis Brooks-Salmon led the Council through its formative years and established it as a respected, independent and objective adviser to government and Parliament. In doing so she leaves behind a well-functioning High Council of State which is essential to the proper functioning of our democratic state. She, in that regard leaves behind big shoes to fill, both literally and figuratively. I shall surely miss our many thought-provoking discussions and exchange of ideas on matters of importance to the development of our country. Matters such as religion, education, legislation and health care.”
He said through her passing the Council of Advice has lost its mother, its leader and its champion. “With her passing St. Maarten has suffered a great loss. To her husband, Leonaris, to her son Earlon, to her daughter Najhilah, to her sisters and brothers and to the rest of her family, I hereby on behalf of the Council of Advice, my wife Marie Louise and myself extend heartfelt sympathy for your loss. May you find the strength to move forward with the confidence in knowing that hers was a life well-lived, one which made a difference in the lives of many and in the development of our country, St. Maarten,” Holiday concluded.
