Ethel Priscilla
Cleare “Dar”

“No farewell words were spoken, no time to say goodbye.
You were gone before we knew it, and only God knows why.
Gone yet not forgotten, although we are apart.
Your spirit lives within us, forever in our hearts.”

On December 25th, 1920, in the beautiful settlement of Five Cays, on the island of Turks and Caicos, Mary (nee Morley) and Alexander Cox welcomed their bouncing baby girl into their lives. This beautiful princess, who brought smiles of joy to everyone’s faces, was given the name Ethel Priscilla Cox.

Ethel received her early education at the ‘All Age School’, Five Cays, Providencials. As time went on, Ethel started a beautiful family where she became a mother of ten (10) children. Three (3) of whom predeceased her in their early childhood and two (2) later on in their adult lives: Caroline Rigby and Russell Williams. She was a strong woman that never allowed nothing to keep her down or hold her back in life; she always had a smile on her face.

As time went by, her children started to grow up; things in Five Cays began to take a downturn. The Ethel everyone knew all wanted the best for her children and herself. She then left Five Cays, Providenciales, and moved to Grand Bahama (Freeport), where she lived with her brother James (deceased) until she was able to make it on her own. Ethel later moved to Nassau to start a new life for her children. Anyone who knew her knew that she had a special love for her brothers and sisters, who have all predeceased her.

Ethel was married twice, first husband was Joseph Forbes(no details on record at this time). After moving to Nassau, Ethel met and married David Cleare(deceased) in March 1967. Even though this union was not blessed with children, David took care of Ethel and her children and grandchildren as his own.

In 2016, Ethel attended the doctor for a small tumour in the back of her left ear and was later diagnosed by the doctors with anaemia and ear cancer. Even though she was told that by the doctors, ‘Mommy, Ethel, Dar, Momma’, as she was affectionately called, did not let that keep her down.

She continued to press her way through with the help of the good Lord as she celebrated her 97th birthday during December of last year. Ethel always said, “There is nothing too hard for God.” As time went by, during the year of 2018, Ethel’s health began to fail her slowly. On Friday, 11th May, 2018, she was admitted to the hospital and on 27th May, she went to be with the Lord.