Ellicent Rebecca Bailey, affectionately known as Lilly, Aunt Lill, Aunty Lilly, Lil and Sister Daley, was born on April 25, 1943 in the humble district of Greenvale, in the town of Mandeville, Jamaica. She was the second child of the union between Victor Samuel Bailey and Ina Green. She had three older siblings: David, Ina and Leonard. David and Ina were the products of a previous relationship that their father, Victor, had prior to meeting and eventually marrying Ina Green.
From birth, she was brought up in the Adventist faith, attending the Mike Town Seventh Day Adventist Church. It should come as no surprise, then, that she gave her heart to the Lord relatively early. She later became an active member of the Dunsinane Seventh Day Adventist church. Here, she held offices such as Sabbath School Superintendent and Treasurer.
As a child, Ellicent attended the Hatfield Primary School where she completed the primary level of her education. Given she was from humble beginnings where little value was placed on education, her educational pursuits were suspended after completing primary school. This, however, did not kill her love for learning. She recognized that literacy was the vehicle to transport her to a better life. Consequently, she unwaveringly took it on herself to develop her literacy skills by reading everything she could put her hands on.
Victor, being a master carpenter and Ina, being a seamstress, sought to impart their skills to their children. As such, Victor took Leonard under his wings, teaching him the art of carpentry. Lilly on the other hand, being a girl, was tied to her mother’s apron strings and was introduced to the needle and thread from an early age.
On December 25, 1966, she married Mendes Daley at the tender age of twenty-three. This union yielded five children: Alcyon, Mendez (Jnr.), Douglas, Sharous and Theresia. After having her children, Lilly decided that it was high time to resume her education. As such, she became enrolled at West Indies College, an Adventist Institution that encouraged adult learning. Here, she benefited from advanced placement into Grade 9 (third form as it is called in Jamaica) and eventually completed her high school education. For her, this was a major accomplishment, being the first in her family to graduate from high school.
Ellicent was a devoted but no-nonsense mother. Her love of reading led her to teach her children to read from an early age. She taught them life values that would enable them to become well-adjusted adults. Despite her best efforts, her marriage to Mendes was plagued by challenges. After many years, the union was severed, first by a prolonged period of separation and later, by divorce. Finding herself in a position where she had to fend for her five children single-handedly, she was compelled to draw on her resilience and her creative skills. She rallied on her early exposure to a seamstress’s needle and thread. She gradually honed her skills and overtime, became a very skilled dressmaker, designing and creating exquisite outfits.
Lilly saw her children maturing and becoming self-reliant young adults. In September, 1992, she was given the opportunity to visit the United States of America. On the invitation of her friends, Bertie and Madge McLean, who had migrated to Boston, she decided to “spread her wings” as she had seen her children come of age and, as they say in Jamaica, “pass the worse”. Having moved to Boston, she offered post-natal care services to several families, in and around the Boston area and other parts of Massachusetts. She soon became a member of the Berea Seventh Day Adventist church where she held offices such as: Sabbath School teacher, Sabbath School Superintendent, Deaconess, Sanctuary Choir member, Personal Ministry officer, Jetsetter and also as an officer of the New England North Federation Personal Ministry.
Ellicent’s love for learning was never satiated. During her seventh decade, she again decided to take on the challenge of studying. This time, to gain her GED. Despite her advanced age, she excelled at Math, English and Science. She performed excellently to the extent that she was asked to be valedictorian of the graduation ceremony for her cohort.
On Tuesday, September 19, 2023, Lilly went to the Boston Medical Hospital for medical care as she had not been feeling well for a while. Following a relatively short period of illness, she was called to rest from her earthly labour on November 2, 2023. She will be missed by her family and friends. She leaves behind her five children, Alcyon, Mendez (Jnr.), Douglas, Sharous and Theresia, her brother Leonard, cousins, nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Sleep on beloved, Ellicent Rebecca Daley. Sleep and take thy rest. Lay down thy head upon thy savior’s breast. We loved thee well, but Jesus loves the best. Good night! Good night! Good night!