BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A Candlelight Vigil will be held for the late Marcia Clarke at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Basseterre from 5:00 p.m. on Monday, June 22.
She was the mother of Sudine Clarke a.k.a. Sudiepop, a local artiste who in 2007 founded the show - Kittitians Got Talent.
Clarke died on Saturday May, 30 at a hospital in Jamaica.
It was just a few days before her mother’s passing that Sudine was excited about performing among Jamaica’s hottest artistes for a benefit concert on May 30 to help children of the Martha’s House in Central Kingston who are infected with the HIV/AIDS virus.
Sudine travelled to Jamaica the day before the event and on that same day learned that her ailing mother had passed away.
Sudine said that her mother’s passing was a shocker and unexpected for the entire family.
“My mom was not only my mom, she was my counsellor, teacher, best friend, heart and soul. To me she is not gone, it doesn’t feel like she is gone at all; her presence is still here and around me. I miss her so very much,” she said. “The pain that I felt when I got the call that she died was unbearable, I cried for the whole week, couldn’t eat, couldn’t think straight and whenever I go to sleep I dream about her.”
Known to be a strong woman, Sudine said she could not believe her mother passed so suddenly, but that God knew why he took her and that she is with her maker now.
Sudine said that with her mother’s passing, she felt as though she did not want to further pursue a singing career.
“I feel as if along, with my heart, my voice has gone as well but my dreams that I’m having lately about my mom is giving me back hope because I always knew that she wants me to become someone successful and to always follow my dreams,” she said.
Her funeral service will be held on June 28, two days after Sudine’s 17th birthday celebration, and her burial will be in the backyard of the family’s home.
On June 27, a ‘nine-night’ service will be held in memory of her mother, which is a celebration of the person she was at the home.
Marcia Clarke was married to Edwin ‘Ragger’ Clarke for 16 years and leaves to mourn six other children - Andy, Simone, Jodian, Tricia, Cerese, Allese - and four step sons.
While at the benefit concert in Jamaica, Sudine was encouraged by family members to perform as her mother would have liked her to, and she sang ‘Reminisce’ and dedicated two special songs to her - ‘Mama Alone’, which was done by fellow local artiste Jah Fire, and Sizzla’s ‘Thank You Mama’.
