A life of service remembered: Educator and community pillar Loraine Spencer-Jarrett laid to rest

The Mass of the Resurrection was officiated by Rt. Rev. Garth Minott, assisted by Rev. Canon Collin Reid, Rev. Howard Walters, and other clergy members. The service reflected both solemnity and thanksgiving, with musical tributes including “It Is Well With My Soul” and “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” symbolizing the faith that guided Spencer-Jarrett’s life.

During the funeral service, a video of Spencer-Jarrett was played on the big screen, welcoming worshippers to church in her familiar, gracious manner — a reminder of the warmth she shared with everyone she met.

Spencer-Jarrett’s journey in education began humbly as a classroom teacher, before becoming senior teacher at Marlie Mount Primary School and later the transformational principal of Davis Primary School in Old Harbour. In 1999, she was elected president of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association, and in August 2000, she was formally inducted as President for the 2001–2002 term — earning widespread admiration for her dynamic and visionary leadership. She continued to rise through the ranks until her retirement in 2017.

Beyond education, she gave decades of service to civic life. To name a few, she served as St. Catherine Parish Secretary and later Parish President of the JTA, was a Justice of the Peace, and also held the position of Deputy Chief Commissioner of the Girl Guides Association of Jamaica.

Among those paying tribute were representatives from several organizations she had served with distinction — the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), the Girl Guides Association of Jamaica, the Mother’s Union, and the Junior Chamber International (Jaycees).

Dr. Mark Nicely, Secretary General of the JTA, opened the ceremony by describing Spencer-Jarrett as “one of our most distinguished colleagues and staff members.” He added, “Her life and work can truly be summed up in the phrase ‘Service Beyond Self’. Whatever she undertook, she brought her whole being, her full commitment, her heart and her mind. At various times, she held the positions of Senior Secretary for Administration, Human Resource, and Secretary for Professional Services. In these roles, she helped to ensure that the internal machinery of the JTA ran with discipline, integrity, and efficiency. Her legacy at the JTA is multifaceted.”

JTA President Mark Malabver also paid tribute, reading messages from the Caribbean Union of Teachers’ Status of Women Committee and the National Confederation of Educators of Haiti, underscoring Spencer-Jarrett’s influence beyond Jamaica’s shores. Delivering the JTA’s own tribute, he described her as “more than a teacher — she was a transformational leader, one of education’s finest torchbearers whose influence extended beyond the walls of her classroom or the limits of her office. Her entire life was dedicated to service, excellence, and the empowerment of others.” He added with a smile that Spencer-Jarrett “loved a good cry and she did so often.”

Karen Francis, Chief Commissioner of the Girl Guides Association of Jamaica, remembered her as “a pillar of strength, a dedicated soul whose reliability and organizational skills were unmatched. She extended herself to all who needed support. She opened her home to host training and overnight camps for her girls… and you could be assured that Aunty Loraine was in her element. Aunty Loraine was an advocate for women’s rights and the protection of women.”

Her son, Bobby Jarrett, delivered a heartfelt remembrance, recalling his mother as a devoted parent and woman of unshakable faith.

“Mom began her professional journey just at 12 years old when she conducted her first Sunday School class right here at the Church of Holy Trinity,” he said proudly. “Many knew her through her various roles as an educator, a leader, a Girl Guide, member of the Mother’s Union, but to me and my brother, she was simple mommy and sometimes mom. She was the heart and soul of her family, a provider, a protector and our constant source of strength.”              

The service was attended by a wide cross-section of the community, including Custos of St. Catherine, Hon. Icylin Golding, Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Member of Parliament Everald Warmington, and educators from schools across the parish, all gathered to honour a woman whose influence spanned generations.

Following the service, mourners made their way to the St. Dorothy’s Cemetery in Church Pen, where the body of Spencer-Jarrett was laid to rest. At the graveside, mourners joined in the chorus like “When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder,” a fitting farewell to a woman remembered for her humility, leadership, and devotion to others.