Author Neville Giuseppi closed a chapter of his life when he passed away at age 89 on September 10, 1999. Following is an excerpt from the eulogy delivered by his son Neil Giuseppi at the funeral service.
Charles Stephen Neville Giuseppi, the son of Charles Rawlinson Giuseppi and Petra Giuseppi, nee Caput, was born in Port-of-Spain on December 26, 1909.
He first attended De Suze's Private School in Port-of-Spain, but when he was eight years old he came to live with his grandmother, 'Ma Caput", at No. 15 Sorzano street, Arima, following the untimely death of his father. His mother had died two years earlier in giving birth to his younger sister, Fleta, who was then brought up by relatives, the Achongs. His other sister, Louise, also lived with their grandmother at Sorzano Street.
Neville Giuseppi received his primary education at the Arima Boys' RC School under Mr. Mitchell, and his secondary education at Reverend Merry's Private School at St Jude's Rectory, Arima.
He grew up to be a shy, retiring individual with a passion for books.
The closest friends of his boyhood were Arnold Thomasos and Rupert Charles, and the three of them could often be found sitting in the stands at the Arima Savannah reading.
Both Arnold and Rupert have preceded Neville to the Great Beyond and now, with his departure, I feel sure that "The Three Musketeers," as they were familiarly known, have been reunited, never again to be parted.
Neville's love of reading was an obsession. His world was a world of books.
He was, and I feel I can say this without fear of contradiction, one of the world's experts on English Literature. He knew it all.
How well do I remember, during my days in television, whenever any of us in the newsroom was writing a story and couldn't quite remember a particular quotation we needed to fit the piece that was being scripted, we would merely pick up the telephone and call Neville at home. And, in a flash, our problem was solved. All we needed was to mention a line, a phrase and, from the top of his head, he would recite the quotation we were seeking. In addition, he could tell you the author and the novel, the play or the poem whence it came.
He was remarkable in this respect.
His first job was that of a reporter of cases tried at the Arima magistrate's court. Then, when he was around 20 years of age, his cousin Ray Dieffenthaller, who was a businessman, invited Neville to live with him and his wife, Rachel, at San Fernando. Ray obtained a job for him in the oilfields.
Neville became very interested in politics and read widely on the subject. He was never afraid to express his views fearlessly, if, at times, unwisely.
In the 1940s, he joined the Civil Service, as it was known at the time, and worked there until his retirement in 1969.
Neville Giuseppi became a free-lance writer, an aphorist, poet and essayist. His first written effort to be published abroad was an essay entitled "The Charm of Style" which was accepted in 1930 by Great Thoughts, a famous English magazine of the time. He was a regular columnist for the Evening News during the 1940s.
In 1938, he met a Barbadian, Undine Bailey, and they became pen friends, exchanging their literary work, she too being interested in writing.
They got married in December of 1942, a union that lasted for 57 years until his death last Friday. The marriage produced two children, Diana and Neil.
Neville Giuseppi published The Light of Thought, a book of poems in 1943, From Grave to Gay, a compilation of his essays and aphorisms in 1959, Selected Poems in 1972 and In a Nutshell, a selection of original aphorisms and reflections in 1978.
In conjunction with his wife, Undine, he also compiled Backfire, a collection of Caribbean Short Stories in 1973, Out for Stars 1 and Out for Stars 11, anthologies of Poetry for Caribbean Secondary Schools in 1976 and Sugar and Spice I and Sugar and Spice 11, anthologies of Poetry for Caribbean Primary Schools in 1978.
The BBC gave recognition to some of his poetry on the programme Calling the West Indies.
When he retired in 1969, he spent most of his subsequent years doing what he loved best of all, reading and writing.
But let me not create the impression that this life was only about books.
In his youthful days, he took a keen interest in football and was recognized as an excellent left-winger, known by the nickname, Zeng.
He always told the story of how, along with Egbert Durity of San Fernando, he took part in the very first football match that was played at Skinner park.
As a husband and father, no one could ask for more.
He loved his wife and two children dearly, and there was nothing that he would not do for us. This devotion to family became even greater with the birth of his grandchildren, Warren and Jo-Anne, my sister's children, and Lisa and Nicole, my own two daughters.
It became somewhat of a family joke that, whenever the grandchildren came to visit and were getting ready to leave after having conned their doting grandmother out of some of her hard-earned cash, Neville would quietly slip each one of them an extra ten dollar note with whispered instruction "not to let your Granny know."
Of course, anyone who knows Undine knows that there is nothing that Granny will not "find out about."
A more mild-tempered and polite individual would be hard to find.
He never quarrelled. He accepted any blows which life may have dealt him with a quiet resignation that could only have come from a strength of character that more of us would do well to emulate.
He never spoke ill of anyone and I, certainly, have never heard anyone speak ill of him.
I only remember seeing him angry on one occasion.
My sister, Diana, and I were probably around eight and six years old at the time. We slept on the same bed and, every night, Neville would bring cushion to place at the edge of the bed to protect us from the cold wall. We would hold the cushions while he pushed the bed against them to ensure that they were secure and would not fall during the night.
One night, as children are wont to do, we planned to let the cushions fall as he pushed the bed. This we did and his feet slipped and he fell to the ground.
He quickly rose and kicked the door shouting that he was going to commit murder.
In panic, we ran to the safety of our mother's bed. Needless to say, less than 15 minutes afterwards, he came to us apologizing and with some little peace offering, which we gladly accepted.
Neville Giuseppi was an excellent father.
Along with my mother, he always taught us good manners, discipline, the importance of truth, respect for our elders, the virtues of hard work. What a pity that the majority of parents today no longer see it as important to instill these values in their offspring.
And his teachings were both by word and deed.
Neville Giuseppi was the ideal role model. He was never one for the "good" life. He was always at home and, therefore, he was always there for us. He always found time to play with us when we were young.
How well do I remember my sister, whom he fondly called his "little Miss Bunts," sitting on his lap for hours combing her doll's hair and he never displayed any impatience. He would sit there quietly staring at her and just enjoying her presence.
That was the father I shall always remember, that quiet, patient human being.
In his last months, I watched as his illness took greater hold of him. Through all the visits to the hospital, through all the medicine, the operations and the tests, he never once complained.
He accepted that this was what the Lord had deemed his lot and he accepted it cheerfully.
Go to your God, Neville Giuseppi. The angels await your coming. You have made your mark among us mortals. Go now and enjoy the heavenly rest you so richly deserve.
As we prepare to say our last farewells, I urge you, Daddy, wherever you may be, to accept this final tribute now, from a son who loves you dearly.