ROLAND "SANDS" PELLETIER
LAST TUNE FOR PELLETIER
By Robert Clarke
Trinidad Guardian
November 22, 2001
Page 2
A bouquet of roses lay atop the white, florally-engraved coffin at St Mary's Church, St James, yesterday.
Roland "Sands" Pelletier, 65, was being laid to rest.
Half of a husband-and-wife team that made significant contributions to national culture, Pelletier was bid farewell by a small congregation.
His wife, dancer/choreographer Julia Edwards, paused at the coffin to have a last look at her supporter and companion, before continuing up the aisle.
Friend of the couple, producer Aubrey Adams, delivered the eulogy.
"Both husband and wife must be considered as national contributors to community development and cultural activities in T&T," he said, "and culture is the backbone of a people."
He described Pelletier as a pillar of support to Edwards.
"He was a tremendous man by way of agreeing, by making himself compatible," said Adams.
But when it came to one thing, Pelletier would not compromise.
"He's a man, he don't like to wear short pants," said Roland's younger brother, Moffat, with a smile.
Before the service, Moffat reminisced about his brother.
"He know 'bout mas. He coulda make mas… Helen and Roland, that was a good combination to make the different costumes," Moffat said.
Pelletier, often with the support of Helen Humphrey, would sit in the sitting room of his home at Ethel Street, St James, designing Carnival costumes.
The young and old of the Humphrey clan, including Housing Minister John Humphrey, turned out to pay their respects. So did Holly Betaudier.
Before costume design came Pelletier's way, however, he was known as a bassman.
He played the bass pan with Katzenjammers Steel Orchestra, then joined a string band, where he played the bass guitar.
Pelletier was a member of Katzenjammers when the band went on tour to Nassau, The Bahamas, in the 1960s, and stayed there for 17 years.
Later, he accompanied his wife to performances in Europe and Japan.
Boogsie Sharpe played the meditation.
As the notes of "How Great Thou Art" rolled off his pans, many in the church dabbed at their eyes.
Boogsie's tempo increased, then the rhythm slowed again and the final few notes drifted away.