Funeral service of Mary Thelma Sweetnam, 93 affectionately known as “Aunt Mae” of Yawl Close, Georgetown, Exuma, will be held on Thursday, 14th September, 2023 at 11:00 am. at St Francis Xavier Cathedral, West Street North. Officiating will be the Most Reverend Patrick Pinder, Archbishop of Nassau. Interment will follow at Lakeview Memorial Gardens and Mausoleum, J.F.K and Gladstone Road.
Aunt Mae was predeceased by her Parents, Robert Leecher Demeritte born in Governors Harbour, Eleuthera and Annie Lee Demeritte née Morris formerly of Tarpum Bay, Eleuthera; and also by her loving husband Rudolph E. A. Sweetnam, her sister, Ambassador Margaret E. McDonald (Ret.), Brothers: Robert Leecher Demeritte II, and Morris Demeritte.
Left to cherish her memories are her Nieces and nephews: Donna Smith, Luther (Michelle) McDonald, Val Cooper, Patricia (Nelson) Bethel, Vealthia Demeritte, Annalee Huyler and Therese Demèritte; Grandnieces and grandnephews: Leroy (Shavonne) Smith, Kimberley (Donovan Jason) Rolle, Laurenne McDonald, Luther Haldane (Carla Marie) McDonald, Monique and Michelle Cooper, Denise (Darcy) Louis, Deidre Cooper, Rissie Demeritte, Gia Drummond, Una, Nelson Jr., Nelvolari and Sylvanus Bethel, Gekeria and Gregory Simms, Terrence Chisholm, Norissa Johnson, Diann Elliott, James, Alicía, Melissa, Kashala, Danielle, Avania, Emmanuel, Amanda and Christian Albury; Great-grandnieces and great-grandnephews: Adam and Noelle Smith, Jayden and Jaylen Rolle, Luther IV and Celine McDonald, Errol, Eamon and Erin Collie, Niah-Mandi and Noah-Mandel Louis, Amari Drummond, DeAngelo Hopkins, Zamar Williams, Navon, Natalia, Nelson III and Godfrey Bethel; Amari Bethel; Elijah Higgs; Nero Knowles, Liro Barr and Lesliyah Elliott; The Morris Family: The descendants of the late Henrietta Carey of Miami, Florida, including Dr. Karen Edwards, Albert (Ivy) Edwards and family, Ed Kyler, Keith W. Braynon and son, Kobe Keith, Wendy Carey and family, Roland Carey Jr. and family. The descendants of the Morris, Major, Allen, Nottage, and Carey families, of Tarpum Bay, Eleuthera including Maria, Carl, Mark (since deceased) and Brian Nottage; The Demeritte Family: The descendants of the late Reverend Jeremiah Demeritte, The descendants of the late Reverend Daniel Demeritte, including Michelle (Wilshire) Dames, Larry and Chappelle Demeritte, The descendants of the late Thomas Demeritte, including Blanche Moss- Allen, Anastasia “Stacy”, Hubert, Cecilia, Matt, Marichael Maura, Jovita (Marco) Chea, which also include the descendants of the late Sybil Butler, The descendants of the late Annette “Doss” Demeritte Williams, including Anita Williams and Agatha and Akobe Cumberbatch. The descendants of the late Hortence Demeritte Sawyer of Miami Florida, The descendants of the late Syberline Demeritte Archer, including Anna and Hilton Archer, Kevin Archer and Laverne Crawley; The descendants of the late William Demeritte including the family of the late Carlton and Kathleen Demeritte; The descendants of the late Fealey Demeritte and their respective families; The descendants of the Fox Hill Demerittes including Fr. Reginald Demeritte; and The descendants of the Andros Demerittes including Mr. Richard Demeritte and family; Extended Family: Cyprianna Fleischer, Jeanne Brown, Theresa Kemp, Camille, James, Celine and Jaime Thompson, Evangelist Shirley Burrows, Mrs. Mary Davis; Godchildren: Deanne Johnson- Anderson, Paulette Davis, Myra Mitchell, Ian (Eleanor) Philips, Steven Johnson, Trevor (Bethany) Fleischer; Other Relatives and Friends: Mrs. Charmaine Johnson, Anita Patty née Johnson, James and Velma Abrahams of Upper Carters Gap, Barbados, Irma Abrahams, Hon. Wilfred Abrahams of Barbados, M.P., Justice & Mrs. Joseph Strachan, Sir Burton Hall & Lady Hall, Constance Joseph and family, the descendants of Sir Cyrus (Ulysees) and Mrs. Hilda Davis and their respective families, Evangelist Shirley Burrows, Jerome, Teresa and Katherine McKinney of Pittsburgh, Pa.; Mr. Trevor Boothe of Washington, D.C., Ms. Emily Petty, Mrs. Audrey Tucker and family, Mr. & Mrs. Dudley Sawyer, Diane Johnson, Mrs. Michelle Lloyd (née Mitchell) and Mr. Jeffrey Lloyd, Mrs. Janice Johnson; the McCartney, and Edwards families of Tarpum Bay, Eleuthera, the Culmer and Mingo families of Savannah Sound and Palmetto Point, Eleuthera, the Symonettes of Rock Sound including the descendants of the late Georgiana Symonette and their respective families, the Larry Simms family, Mss. Rosemary Hanna and the ‘Ova da Hill’ Reunion Community, Chrystal Cheung; Jonas Alphonse, Members and Friends of the Carver Garden Club, Officers and Members of The Bahamas Girl Guide Association, clergy and members of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, St. Anselm’s Church and the wider Catholic Church Community: The Exuma Family: Clergy and Members of the following: St. Theresa’s Catholic Church; St. Andrew’s Anglican Church; Church of God of Prophecy, Georgetown; Church of God of Prophecy, Farmers Hill; Mt. Olive, Hartswell; St. John the Baptist Church, Georgetown; Palestine Baptist Church, the Forest, Rev. and Mrs. Williams, Stuart Manor; Ms. Cora Balido, Ms. Dorcas Shuttleworth; Mrs. Paula LaPlant, Mr. Carlton and Mrs. Janice Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. James Holtzman, Ms. Blanche Watson, Ms. Joan Rolle, Ms. Hedy Felice, Ms. Elvira Brotam; Mr. Leon Mars, Principal of St. Andrews School, Ms. Shirley Musgrove, Ms. Rosemary Minns; the Exuma Garden Club and Officers of the Exuma Branch of the Royal Bahamas Police Force. The Family is deeply appreciative of the kind acts of numerous persons in Exuma who ‘adopted’ Aunt Mae and took thoughtful measures to ensure her safety; Special Thanks to: Archbishop Patrick Pinder, Father Kendrick Forbes, Monsignor Alfred Culmer, Monsignor Simeon Roberts, Father Reginald Demeritte, Father Glenn Nixon, Father Paschal Ukpeh, Father Devereaux King, Father David Cooper, Mr. Davy Rolle and the Knights and Dames of the Holy See in the Archdiocese of Nassau, the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Sylvester Pope and Martyr and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, the Organist and Choir of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Ms. Stacy Maura and Support Team at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Dr. Charma Jagadeesh, Dr. R. Geoffrey Sweeting, devoted Godchildren, Renee and Joey Turnquest, the staff of Bethel Brothers Morticians and others too numerous to mention.
In lieu of flowers, financial contributions in memory of Mary Sweetnam may be made to either (1) the Catholic Archdiocesan Annual Appeal (CAAA) – for assistance, please contact Mrs. Michelle Mitchell-Lloyd at (242)3 22-7711, email: parishoffice@stfrancisxaviercathedral.org; or (2) The Bahamas Girl Guides Association for assistance, please contact Secretary, Girl Guide Headquarters at (242)322-4342, email: Bggassociation@yahoo.com. May Her Soul Rest in Peace!
Cremation was held.
