Melsaides Aletha Dunbar

Melsaides Aletha Dunbar was born on December 04, 1914 in the beautiful hillside of Essex Hall, ST. Andrew on the island of Jamaica to the late Leamira Henry and George Dunbar. As a young lady she met the late Joseph Quallo and traveled a short distance to Florence Hill, St. Andrew Jamaica to join him. Their union produced four children Mrs. Stephanie Brown, Mrs. Florette Pownel, Ms. Shirley Quallo and Mr. Winston Quallo. Although she was so loving called “Sista” by family and friends, she most often refers to herself as Saides. She was a woman that was very dedicated to the Lord and was known secondly as a woman who valued her family and loved children. She received her education at Lawrence Tavern all age School, in St Andrew. Although she only received a primary school education she was an avid reader and believed in education in the highest. Her favorite book to read was the bible and she never would grow tire of reading the bible. Although, Sista was primarily a homemaker she also designed and made hats for an income in the early years. Sista was the best cook who made the best rice and peas and fry chicken. She loved music and dancing and took great pleasure in teaching her grandchildren how to dance guadril. She was to us a historian, by often times reminiscing about the early years of her life. In 1978, Melsaides relocated from St. Andrew to Ocho Rios where she resided until August 1995 when she migrated to the United States of America in the South Florida area. Sista enjoyed commuting between family members from Miramar to Leigh high acres, but she primarily resided in Pompano Beach, Florida with her granddaughter Denese and in Miramar with her daughter Florette. Sista attended Faith United Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ in North Lauderdale, Florida where the full gospel of salvation was preached to her and she accepted Jesus Christ as her savior and was baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by pastor Clifton Ebanks. God blessed her for the most part with health and strength so much so that she had no major illnesses and was only hospitalized twice in her later years due to pneumonia. She was however sadly diagnosed with Dementia in 2011. At first, minor changers were noticed, but as the disease took a toll on her mentation she stopped doing things such as activities of daily living and like most individual stricken with this illness, she knew things were not right. She was very independent and a sharp dresser, therefore everything must match when she would go out. As her independence continued to decline she would often times than not say, “what is going on with Saides Dunbar, father please close my eyes and take me home”. Interestingly, she never stopped reading her bible, praying and dancing as well as recognizing many of her family members by name. She prayed several times during her hours awake and almost always started with “Guide me how thou great Jehovah pilgrim through this barren land, for I am weak and you are strong.” Sadly, Melsaides Dunbar succumbed to the final stage of dementia and was granted her request by her father to take her home on July 19th, 2016 at 6am on a raining morning at home in Pompano Beach surrounded by several family members and friends. She will be missed immensely by her daughters Stephanie, Florette, Shirley, son Winston, daughter-in-law Elaine, son-in–law Alfred, 12 Grandchildren Dwight, Jacqueline, Stephanie, Dwight (Ike), Leigh, Rohan, Denese, Robert, Donna, Wendy, Shevoun, and Everton, 36 great-grandchildren and 6 great great-grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends. May her soul rest in peace. Job 1:21 “And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Melsaides Aletha Dunbar

December 4, 1916 - July 19, 2016