Obituary of Roy Neil Earlington

Who is this DYMANIC, HANDSOME, STRONG, BRILLANT, MAJESTIC MAN?

 His Name is Roy Neil Earlington, born on September 12, 1933, in Belfield, St Mary, Jamaica West Indies to the parents of Grace Ann and Adrian Earlington. He was the first boy and third child of eight children. 

As a young boy growing up in the Parish of St Mary, Roy’s intelligence was front and center. It was very apparent to his teachers that he was a very smart and ambitious young man, and they often took him “under their wings.”  At 11 years old, Roy was the first boy in Jamaica to get a score of “100” on Jamaica’s Proficiency Exam “currently known as the GSAT”.

As the first boy in the family, Roy had to take on a lot of responsibilities, which included leading his siblings. The maturity he gained from his responsibilities along with his given intellect, made him the man he grew up to be: A Brillant, Smart and Strong Leader!

At age 22 in 1955, after completing the highest level of education, Roy left St Mary’s Parish and relocated to Kingston, the capital and largest city in Jamaica. Upon arrival in Kingston, Roy immediately secured his first job, as a Nurse with Bellevue Hospital, where he worked for 3 years with patients dealing with Mental Health “Restoring Hope; Empowering Minds.”  It was during this time, when he met Kathleen, the love of his life. After working at Bellevue Hospital, Roy joined the Department of Commerce in the Marketing Division, where he worked for 2 years. Next, he joined the Banana Board, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining of Jamaica, where he served as an auditor. You may remember Harry Belafonte’s “Day-O “The Banana Boat Song.”  

 Roy worked with the Banana Board for 6 months, and then he spent 1 year with the Department of Statistics, where he was responsible for managing pension plans for the Citric and Cane Laborers. He then joined the World Health Organization “WHO” as an evaluator for fighting malaria. Roy went on to join Henderson and Company, in sales, where he traveled around the country of Jamaica selling their products. He received numerous awards and recognition for being their number one sales leader. Next, Roy spent several years thriving as a Sales Manager for Regional Akins and McGibbon, before migrating with his family to the United States in 1970. Upon his arrival in the United States, Roy joined EJ Korvette for 3 months in their Sales Department, before joining Lincoln National/Aetna as an Independent Insurance Broker. Roy spent 37 years with the company, and happily retired at age 74, when he and his wife, Kathleen moved to Florida in 2005.

Roy’s and Kathleen’s love story is amazing. They met at an Easter Party shortly after Roy relocated from St. Mary to Kingston, in 1955, at age 22, and from their first danced together, he courted and loved her for the rest of their lives together. He married Kathleen on his 23^rd birthday, September 12, 1956, and they enjoyed a loving marriage until Kathleen passed away 2 days after celebrating their 65^th Wedding Anniversary. Unfortunately, after losing the love of his life, Roy was never the same. Kathleen’s passing weighed heavily on his heart and health. 

Roy and Kathleen were blessed with six children who were the center of his life. As a Father, he loved his kids and taught each of them so much, including how to develop strong work ethics, having wisdom, being a leader, and being fair in all aspects of their lives. Roy respected each of his children for their individuality and adored them. He taught them how to cook, but he kept his outstanding cooking skills a secret until his lovely wife, Kathleen, was no longer able to cook. 

As a Grand and Great Grandfather, Roy served as a key role model in demonstrating how important family is. His wisdom was amazing, and he freely shared this quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment with his family, including his children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, cousins, nephews, and nieces. They all benefited from his amazing wisdom. 

Roy loved music, including Caribbean, Country, Religious, and Jazz – all types of music. He was as sharp as a “Whip;” he knew everything and freely shared his knowledge. He had so many stories to share including his childhood experiences with his two brothers and five sisters, living in a small home in the country with lots of banana trees. 

Roy had an endless sense of humor and made those around him laugh all the time. Roy was very infatuated with Cuba, which is located near Jamaica. He made everyone laugh when he often referred to himself as coming from “Cuba” when asked “where are you from?”  When asked what your profession is, his response would be a “Thief.”  This left those who did not know him, perplexed, while those who knew him “cracked up in laughter.”  Roy was a lover of horse racing, wrestling and always had a pet dog. 

He was a very “Dapper” dresser, who always wore a suit and tie. His shirts were light blue, and he had a lot of them. They had to be dry cleaned and always pressed; in fact, the manager of his Dry Cleaners once shared that Roy was the only person keeping them in business.

Roy, who was a very modest, dynamic, handsome, strong, and brilliant man left a family that is truly heart-broken and devastated over his passing. He was predeceased by his wife, Kathleen Earlington, his eldest child, Hugh Anthony Johnson, his Grand-son, Lloyd Johnson, his parents, Grace Ann and Adrian Earlington, his sisters, Enid Earlington, Edith Williams and Delmina Earlington, and his brothers, Leslie Earlington, and Errol Earlington. He is survived by his children: Sandra Pemberton, Michael Earlington, Cheryl Guillou, Karen Sachs, and Althea Bowen, his sisters, Olgarene Earlington-Oliver, and Dorne Earlington-Salmon. He also leaves to mourn fourteen grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, sons-in law, daughter-in-law, brothers-in-law, sister-in-law, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members, caretakers, and long-time friends, all of whom he loved and will miss him deeply. 

Visitation will be held at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township on Friday April 26, 2024 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM.  Relatives and friends are invited to attend his 9:00 AM Funeral Mass at the St. David Church, 90 South Main Street, Cranbury, NJ 08512.  Interment will follow in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 10 West Stevens Avenue, Hawthorne, NY 10532.  For those that cannot attend in person, the family invites you to participate via webcast, HERE. For information, directions or to leave condolence messages, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com