Cora Ricketts remembered as kind, loving person
HUNDREDS OF mourners turned out yesterday at the Holy Trinity Cathedral on North Street, Kingston, to celebrate the life of former second vicepresident of Netball Jamaica (NJ) Cora Ricketts at her thanksgiving service.
Tributes to Ricketts were led by president of NJ Dr Paula Daley-Morris, who described her as a very loving and kind person.
“Her death was very shocking because we were not expecting her to die,” said Daley-Morris.
“She told us that she was doing surgery, and she was even making preparations as to how she would relate to us when she was recovering, and immediately when we thought that the surgery would have ended, that is when we went there (hospital), and that is when she died,” she said.
“We were very sad, and we continue to be sad because she was really a major contributor to the sport, and she did a lot to make sure that things worked for us,” Daley Morris said.
President of the International Netball Federation Molly Rhone remembered Ricketts as a very hard working and dedicated person.
“I think netball will really miss her because I brought her into the international body while she was the manager of the Under-16 team, and she moved up from there to managing the senior team,” said Rhone.
“She did her work diligently because you could depend on her to do what she was supposed to do, and she was very passionate about what she was doing,” she said.
Dr Janet Dyer, managing director of HEART Trust NTA, where Ricketts worked as the director of revenue services at the time of her death, said that she was sadly missed by her organisation.
“She was the heartbeat for most of the employers,” said Dyer.
“She was the kind of person, no matter how sad you are and Cora walked in the room, she had something comedic to say to you that you had to start laughing,” she said.
“She was the driver for our revenue services, and I would say to Cora, ‘How do you get to collect the money from all of these persons?’ and she would say, ‘You have to know the art of doing that, you have to come to Cora’,” Dr Dyer said.
Singer Dimario McDowell delivered a powerful rendition of the song My Way, much to the appreciation of the mourners.
Officiating minister at yesterday’s service was the Rev Father Kingsley Asphall.
Ricketts is survived by her husband Marvin and three children. Cremation will follow at a later date.