June 2 funeral for Barbara Gloudon
The thanksgiving service for Barbara Gloudon — late radio broadcaster, theatre legend and Jamaica Observer columnist — is set for the St Margaret’s Church on Old hope Road in St Andrew on June 2. Start time is slated for 10:00 am.
Gloudon’s daughter, Anya Gloudon Nelson, confirmed the arrangements with the Jamaica Observer on Tuesday. She said there were no specific requirements for those who wish to attend to pay their last respects, except for them to adhere to the novel coronavirus protocols.
Gloudon, who was ailing for some time, died in the University Hospital of the West Indies in St Andrew on May 12. She was 87.
Gloudon and her husband, Ancille who passed away just 11 days before her had just celebrated 62 years of marriage on April 23, while he marked his 89th birthday on April 13. He died on April 30. His funeral is scheduled for May 29 at Andrew’s Memorial Church in St Andrew.
Born in Malvern, St Elizabeth,
Gloudon (nee Goodison) attended St Andrew High School for
Girls. She was the eldest of nine siblings: Howard, Bunny, Carmen (deceased), Kingsley and Karl (twins), Keith, Nigel, and Poet
Laureate of Jamaica, Lorna.
She had a distinguished career as a journalist, which started in the early 1950s at The Gleaner where she rose to become features editor and then editor of The Star.
In 1969 she began working as a scriptwriter with the Little Theatre Movement (LTM) for which she also became chair.
She also wrote the radio drama Wrong Move, which aired on Radio Jamaica, and hosted that station’s mid-morning talk show Hotline for many years.
Between 1969 and 2017 Gloudon penned at least 29 of the LTM’S annual pantomimes, among them Moonshine Anancy, Hail Columbus, Johnny Reggae, The Pirate Princess,
and Dapper Dan.
Gloudon was conferred with the Order of Distinction for her contribution to journalism in 1975 and the Order of Jamaica in 1992.
In addition to Anya, Gloudon is survived by daughter Lisa and son Jason.