A man whom I admired

EASTON DOUGLAS was my client. I was his legal counsel. But he became my friend and a man that I admired. I met Easton about 2006 and from the beginning of our association I must say that I liked him, and we got on well. He was a dapper man. He took obvious care with his appearance. Always immaculately dressed, and appropriately dressed for the occasion. He was soft spoken. He never raised his voice. He spoke quietly and firmly. He listened carefully to any advice that I gave. Any document that I prepared for his signature he examined with a finetooth comb, and always ensured it met his high standards before he would ever add his signature. Yet, he had a quick wit, and laughed easily. That was Easton Douglas! Often, when we were finished discussing legal matters, Easton would educate me with respect to his views of the politics of the day. He gave me tremendous insights and understanding of Jamaican politics. He knew the inside track, and knew the players on all sides. He was versed in the history and absolutely reveled in it. Even though he was always loyal to his party, he had no problem in discussing things that he disagreed with.

I was Easton’s attorney for over 10 years, dealing with a wide range of matters. He insisted that it was important to be proper and correct in everything that he did, and from all reports, this was also his approach to his professional practice as a chartered surveyor.

ALWAYS THOUGHTFUL

One of the matters that I dealt with for Easton was very personal and related to his family. It was a matter that caused him obvious pain and discomfort. Sometimes he would just stop and say nothing, as if he was gathering himself before he could continue. But even with his emotional distress, Easton’s approach to these matters was always thoughtful. He would never choose a road just because it was easy. He would think about a situation, and determine his own action doing what he believed to be principled and correct. That was the essence of Easton, in all aspects of his life.

When Easton found out he was ill, he approached his situation with courage and a determination to do everything in his power to fight for his life, and he fought his illness for several years. His medical challenges were many, including the need to have heart surgery. And it was in these times that his ability to laugh at himself and his life came to the fore. He would joke about the fact that the doctors had his heart on a table!

After he recovered from one of his many bouts of illness, he invited all his doctors, including those from the US, to a truly fancy dinner to thank them for all that they had done and for keeping him going. At the dinner, he joked about the fact that many of them considered him a walking, talking , since he ought to have gone long ago.

On Sunday morning, August 26, 2018, Jamaica lost one of its finest sons, and I lost a friend.

May his soul rest in peace. CAROL DAVIS