The Thanksgiving Service to celebrate the life of Vincent “Tubby” Derrick is set for March 13, but it will not be an official service because his family has turned down the offer by the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda.
One of his daughters, Gillian Derrick, told OBSERVER media the offer was rejected “respectfully” and it had “nothing” to do with politics.
“My father was very much a man for the people. He was not a big, noisy, showy guy. He worked behind the scenes and his view really was to keep people together. So, he wouldn’t have wanted an official funeral, just like he didn’t want a knighthood,” she explained.
She recalled that her dad turned down a knighthood during the tenure of the United Progressive Party administration, of which he was once a part.
He served as chairman of the party from 1993 to 2001 while it was in opposition.
Derrick said her father’s contributions weren’t made for the accolades or a show.
“That wasn’t what it was all about; it was about people and country and community and we just felt, you know, he wouldn’t want an official funeral,” she stated.
While the viewing of the body would be a private, closed event for the immediate family, the funeral service is set to start at 2:30 p.m. and it is an open event that anyone can attend.
“We asked to have it in the [St. John’s] Cathedral because my dad was a committed congregant at the Cathedral and the Derrick family has been associated with the Cathedral for a long time,” the noted.
Vincent “Tubby” Derrick – described as a hard working patriot – passed away on Monday at the age of 85 after a brief period of illness.
He was a father of five: Mu’min, Foster, Beverley, Gillian and Kim and he had about 20 grandchildren, among other relatives too numerous to mention.
