Roadtown, Tortola - The late Alford Everett Penn, OBE, BEM, who passed away on April 28, will be afforded an official funeral.
The funeral is scheduled for Saturday, May 9 at the Road Town Methodist Church and will be preceded by one hour of viewing, starting at 9:00 a.m.
Official funerals are usually reserved for former legislators but Premier Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE explained to the Department of Information and Public Relations, the rationale for granting Mr. Penn an official send-off.
“He has served the Government of the Leeward Islands Colony of which we were a part; he has served the Government of the West Indies Federation and he has served this Territory as the first Chief Secretary to be appointed, and then that title was changed to Deputy Governor,” Honourable O’Neal said.
He noted too that Mr. Penn acted as Governor of the Territory on several occasions, one of which was for an extended period of six months or more.
The Premier described Mr. Penn as “one of those civil servants who served with distinction,” noting too that he was “very experienced and well respected throughout the Virgin Islands.”
He further described Mr. Penn as a very humble man. “In fact humility was his hallmark,” he said.
The Premier concluded by saying “we were of the opinion that for all his contributions to the people of this Territory, we thought it was fit and proper to have an official funeral.”
The Premier has also extended sincere condolences to the family of the late Mr. Alford Penn on behalf of himself, his family, the Government and people of the Virgin Islands.
Following Saturday’s funeral, Mr. Penn will be interred at the Penn Family Cemetery in East End. The family has requested that donations be made to the East End Methodist Church Bicentennial Fund in lieu of flowers.
British Virgin Islands News