Anyone from Gouyave remembered Nurse Branch. She delivered many second generation babies in Gouyave. My sympathy to her family. May her soul rest in peace
Of course we took it for granted that she would always be there to run to when you had an ailment that needed a little more than 'at home medication.' But then what else does a child know other than Nurse Branch was whom you turn to if you should get sick.
Nurse Branch was our "doctor" when an emergency occurred in Gouyave and there was no available attending physician around. She would stitch you up as she did to my boyhood friend, Melo, when a broken bottle fell on his instep and cut him causing him to bleed profusely. She was "the doctor" with Miss Claire as her assistant, that would treat you at the Health Center in Dr. Bell. To put in simple terms, Nurse Branch was our medical person whom we thought would always be there to take care of us. And take care she always did!!!!
Then we grew up, and as so often the case back then, migration took us away from Gouyave and our dearly beloved Nurse Branch. Where did she go, what happened to her, I had no clue, as so many others too, until her obituary was posted on www.gogouyave.com.
It was then we read the story about her, posted by her daughter, Dr. Jennifer Rooke.
As so often is the case, one's impact on their community takes focus and is only appreciated after their passing. Too bad someone like me never had the chance as an adult, to thank Nurse Branch for the care she gave us in Gouyave. Physically she is gone but her memories will always live on, That's why this piece is being written to remind her children (I can recall Junior only, sorry Dr. Rooke) that their mother was like another mother to the folks of Gouyave back in the 50's and 60's.
And for that we say thank you, and rest in peace. You've earned it!
YES TONY I REMEMBER THAT very said incident (LOL) we was practicing for a SCHOOL PLAY and I was tapping on a bottle to Keep the Timing and suddenly the bottle got broken and landed on my instep.FUNNY I can still see the slight Scar on my instep LOL,
I only just saw the obituary for Nurse Branch and although I did not know her, my grandmother Nen Maudlyn often gave the account of my birth informing me that Nurse Branch was the midwife who oversaw my entrance into this world. I would therefore through this medium place on record my profound gratitude for the part she played in escorting me safely into this world. She was often spoken of very fondly by my grandmother.
