Belizean entrepreneur, actress and poet, Carrie Fairweather-Belgrave, who became famous in Belize’s first dramatic series as “Granny Tomasa,” lost her 3-month battle with pancreatic cancer at around 6:00 tonight, due to respiratory complications. Miss Carrie was 77 at the time of her passing at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City.
Yesterday, Belize lost another legend—Edgar “Bally” Gegg, the enterprising Belizean, born on Eve Street, Belize City, who owned The Vogue, a now defunct store.
Gegg died 16 days short of his 100th birthday and his granddaughter, Angela Gegg, told Amandala today that he would be buried on his birthday, on January 28.
Gegg, who used to sing opera, as well as write and recite poetry up to two years ago for family, spent his career mostly in merchandising, but he also did charity work for the Salvation Army. He also appeared in two movies, one of them being Dogs of War.
He was predeceased by his wife, Alice, who he married 75 years ago after they met in a theatre. The couple is survived by 9 children, including David and Francis Gegg.
Edgar Gegg was born on January 28, 1911. He had been ill and reportedly died at home on Eve Street after 2:00 yesterday, Wednesday, January 12.
Whereas the funeral for Gegg has been fixed for Friday, January 28, funeral arrangements have yet to be set for Carrie Fairweather-Belgrave.
Miss Carrie, born on March 28, 1933, was our Personality of the Week feature in April 2006. She was the daughter of William Foreman and Esther Foreman nee Cadle—the last of nine children born in Dangriga, Stann Creek.
Among those mourning her death are her husband, Ellis Belgrave, as well as her children: Carol Mckoy, Yola Robateau and Diane Robateau (both married with that surname), Gail McKenzie, Joel McKenzie, Lancelot McKenzie, Jr., and Pamela Fairweather.
Decades ago, Mrs. Belgrave had pioneered in the Belize airline industry by bringing the first non-stop flight to Belize, along with Belgrave, her then business partner, through Camei Travel.
The couple more recently invested in Serenade Guest House, located in Placencia.
Carrie Fairweather-Belgrave’s farewell works are her very first anthology of poetry, titled Parchment Pages, as well as a documentary on her life produced by Howard University professor Steve Berry, dubbed: A Remarkable Woman.