Olive V. Forrester

Olive Veronica Forrester, Sista Far, Miss Far, Teachress, Madda Far, Miss Farris, Sersta, Nine Lifer: she was called by these and other names that all showed how much she was respected and loved by many. She was put here as a soldier for God and never left home without her armor or her weapons, living her faith unashamedly, unabashedly and relentlessly. Olive was many things to many people. She never met a person in whom she did not see the image of God, and as a potential friend. She shared her faith in constant examples to her children and family but had the God given gift of friendship and hospitality to all who came across her path, regardless of status or station. She was known to go the extra mile, sometimes literally. For years, she would drive her yellow VW down a precipitous gully track picking up a church sister with MS for a hospital visit, lifting the invalid into the car and bringing her back home by the same painstaking route. She was a true soldier for God. The daughter of Stephen Johnson, a cabinet maker and building contractor, and his loving wife and business partner Edith Johnson (nee Knight), Olive was born on April 17th, 1930 in Kingston Jamaica to an Anglican family. Her older siblings were Jack, Cecil, Ellen, Lloyd, and Hubert. Olive grew up close to her two younger siblings, Ben and Nancy in the family home in Hanna Town. Sadly, she lost her father at age 9 and became the dependable "big sister "to the younger ones. In their rapidly changing life, she no doubt fell into that role of leadership quite naturally. She had to assume a lot of responsibility to help the family, as her mother made ends meet with the proceeds from their cold supper shop. Even at that young age Olive provided strength and support to her mother and younger siblings in the wake of their father's death. It was then that she got a taste for being a teacher to her brother and sister, and at times to the trees and her favorite dollies, a role she would build on as she became a teacher and educator for the rest of her life. She met and married Oswald Forrester in the late 1940s. A master cooper by trade as well as an avid lover of music, the handsome Oswald was known to serenade her on their verandah during the early years in Kingston. They started a family which grew to six children strong, and he was a loving father and good provider during their 53-year marriage. Olive's first child, Lancelot, was soon followed by his brother Terrence, who came about 18 months later. Due to Oswald's new work schedule, Olive had lots of alone time during the latter part of her pregnancy. It was during this time that she was given a Conflict of the Ages Series, written by Ellen G. White, by a former school mate who became an SDA pastor. Despite being from a strong Anglican tradition, she read the books voraciously and was convinced to embrace the bible truths she was reading. She started to put the new principles into practice right away. Shortly after giving birth to Terrence, Olive was baptized into the Advent faith. Dawn and Sharon arrived soon after Olive's mother passed away and her two last children Andrew and Zoe (Gerri) arrived during the 1960s. Initially, Olive taught for 5 years as a volunteer at Central Branch Primary School until she was able to earn her teacher's certificate and be compensated for her full-time role. She taught next at Lawrence Tavern Primary and would go on to Moneague Teacher Training College under trying personal circumstances to emerge as valedictorian at her graduation. Ever the student, she was able to successfully complete her graduate studies in Linguistics at Boston University with honors. As an English teacher she connected with creole speakers, showing respect for the language so they didn't feel like they were speaking "bad" English: just good Patois. That endeared her to generations of Oberlin High School children, St. Joseph's College student teachers, UWI students, and adult students in the HEART program. Her creative teaching skills and dedication made it possible for many to accomplish goals they had never expected to reach. As an Education Officer at Caenwood, Olive had great impact on her colleagues and served as the Head of the Jamaica Reading Association, a member of the Soroptimist Club. Notwithstanding her academic accomplishments, Olive was a lady who loved to have a good laugh. She took a lot of joy being a "lead foot" driver and thought it really funny when she ended up in traffic court, tweaking the officers who couldn't believe who was at the wheel of that speeding pick-up truck. As a mother, she was as wise as a serpent and mostly harmless as a dove. She had eyes cleverly disguised in the back of her head that confounded all her children and students when mischief was afoot. Just ask her nephews Steve Johnson and Phillip Tapper who stayed in our home as youngsters and they too will testify to her wily skills. She was small in stature, giant in intellect and had a heart as big as a house. She inspired us to dream dreams of fulfilling our God given potential while learning to work diligently, no matter the task, "working as unto the Lord". Olive was always an active member of the Dorcas Society. She was a literature evangelist until she breathed her last because she loved the Lord deeply and knew the power of the written word. She was a missionary in every field the Lord placed her in and had a working faith that could see the things she asked her Lord for, as though they were actually there. That is the essence of a living faith and God gave her that gift! She will be greatly missed and cherished as a mother and grandmother. She was a compassionate and inspirational mentor to many with far reaching influence. Her memory will endure in the hearts of family, friends, colleagues and contemporaries. Olive Forrester was a wife, mother, teacher, educator, author, playwright, gardener, artist and beloved child of God. She is survived by her sister Nancy Tapper and her many cousins in the Knight, Henry and Gale families, her 6 children, 12 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Rest, Olive, in the arms of Jesus until that "Great Getting up Morning" to hear, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."