The Original Memory Book for the Late Godfrey Wallace by Print Works at The Huyler Group

HOMEGOING SERVICE FOR THE LATE

Godfrey Edwin Wallace Sr.

SUNRISE: June 29, 1958

SUNSET: April 19, 2025

Age: 66 years old

HELD AT: Our Lady’s Catholic Church Deveaux Street Nassau, N.P., Bahamas

Saturday, May 10, 2025 @ 10am

PRESIDING

Fr. Jonathan A. Duka

ORGANIST

Tyrone Miller INTERMENT:

Lakeview Memorial Gardens

Nassau, N.P., Bahamas

Obituary

It is with heavy hearts today, we celebrate the life of Godfrey Edwin “Gully” Wallace Sr. A loving husband, beloved father, dedicated sibling, loyal friend and a gifted baseball and softball player, Godfrey lived a life full of heart, hustle and humility.

Born on Sunday June 29, 1958, he was the second of seven children to Ceates and Elizabeth Wallace (pre-deceased). As a young boy growing up, Gully was plagued with Epilepsy between the ages of 4-7 years old. Because of this, his older brother Kendal had to keep an extremely close eye on him when they went anywhere. Thankfully an old lady gave his mother a remedy which after using, he was cured.

Godfrey was raised on Darling Lane, New Providence where the Wallace Patriarch was a huge fan of the L.A. Dodgers and therefore, all of his children would gather around and listen to the Dodgers games on the radio on weekends. This sparked Godfrey’s interest in the game so he played with his neighborhood team which consisted of himself, Kendal and Wellington Wallace, Charlie (Cardman), David Duncombe and Daddy Grace Dawkins, to name a few.

He attended Southern Prep Primary School (now Columbus Primary), Western Junior (now CR Walker) and CC Sweeting High School.

A standout catcher and outfielder, he earned his place on the school softball team at CC Sweeting, helping to lead the Cobras to unbeaten seasons and public school titles.

After completing high school, “Gully” in his late teens to early twenties, acted on one of his passions, the game of baseball and was well sought after by many teams. He was the Catcher for Heineken St. Bernards, Fanta Raiders, Spotless Cleaners and Schlitz Beer teams in the Bahamas Baseball Association senior league. He was a major contributor to those teams winning numerous championships and was so great at the game, that he was the All Bahamian Catcher and travelled to the Pan American Games in 1979 where he was the starting Catcher and an All Star Team Member. Not only was he the best Catcher in the Bahamas (hardly anyone got pass him sliding into home plate), but he was an all around player who racked up numerous trophies over the years for Most RBI’s and Most Doubles. Later in his senior years, he played with the T-Bird Flyers softball night league team.

In latter years, he played with Sports Center Lions and Da Boyz teams in the New Providence Old Timers Softball Association, along

It was the latter part of February 2025 when a change in his speech was noticed, along with short term memory loss. He was asked to go to the doctor but he refused and as it got worse he decided that he would obey his wife and they went on March 10th. He was treated for Hypertension and had some tests and scans done. A follow up visit was done on March 27th, where it was revealed he had suffered at least 2 strokes. His pressure was brought under control with the help of his medication and change in diet. However, he complained of being very tired and painful. Gully said that it was a different kind of tiredness, one that he could not describe. When asked everyday how he was doing, his response was always ‘I’m alright, I’m good and nothing’s wrong with me” He and Petra had a conversation on Thursday, April 17th at 7:13AM. She told him that she knew that he was a praying man because she saw him do it everyday, morning and night but she wanted him to start to read the Bible more and build a more personal relationship with God. His reply was “Why are you saying these things to me? I am straight and I am ready. You’ll need to worry about you’ll self.” Then he asked her, “Do you know what the first three letters in my name spells?” She said God. He then asked her what is the last part of his name and he said free (frey). He then asked, what’s my name? She responded, Godfrey. He then said to her, “Okay and don’t forget it”. Petra then asked him if he was ready to meet his maker and he said “yes”. He then mentioned funeral arrangements briefly but that conversation was cut short quickly.

On Saturday, April 19, 2025, Godfrey and two of his brothers were working on addition to his beloved deck at his residence off Charles Saunders Highway. It is the future

site for a new business venture. As he was accustomed, “Gully” sat on the deck and gave instructions to his brothers - Kendal and Rannie. He laughed while watching them attempt to complete the assignment, That was their last laugh. As this was going on, Petra was about to leave and said twice to him, “Gully I gone, I’m coming right back” but he did not reply. Kendal replied yeah, yeah. Petra received a call seventeen minutes later saying that he collapsed. Kendal, Rannie and his brother-in-law Andy worked tirelessly to revive him but his labour on this side was completed as he never regained consciousness.

We find solace in knowing that he made peace with his God and was ready to meet Him.

Even though his laugh would be silent forever on this earth on that Easter weekend, we will forever hear it in our hearts.

Left to cherish his memories are:

His wife: Petra Wallace

Sons: Danarvio Hanna, Godfrey Wallace Jr. (Joy-Ann), Devron Wallace

Daughters: Makeva Wallace-Stubbs (Thomas), Stephanique Wallace

Grandchildren: Danarvio Rolle and Danniyah Hanna, Shanteka Edgecombe (Dashon), Grayson and Logan Wallace, Aaleyah, Danayah and Devron Wallace Jr, Jailyn Woodside and D’Khari Sands

Siblings: Kendal, Dudley (Pandora), Victoria and Randolph (Melony) Wallace, Deborah Hield

Mother In-Law: Carol Johnson

Brother In-law: Ranford (Michelle), Nekita (Indira), Andrew Johnson

Sister In-Law: Patrice Stone (Nathaniel), Tietchka Johnson, Theresa Bannister (Leroy)

Nieces: Natasha and Laquisha Wallace, Kyesha Bethel

Nephews: Stephen Wallace, Garvin Adderley, Hakeem Wallace, Gershon Hield

Grandnieces: Kyleya McKenzie and Kimari Adderley

Grandnephews: Vega Wallace and Kayshawn Adderley

Aunties: Joyce Small, Magaret Wallace

Uncles: Wellington (Beryl), Denis, Preston (Nita) Wallace

Cousins: Children of: Wellington, Dennis, Preston, Kenneth, Isreal, Charles, Alfred, Simeon, Arnold, Freddie, Joyce, Margearet, Virgina and Rosemary

His Pets: Cherish Edwina and Whitey Pete

Other Relatives & Friends: The family of Janet and Geneva Bain, Nehemiah Hield and family, Stephanie Wallace and The Kemp Family, Charles and Emily Hanna and Family, The Johnson, Pratt/Green, Maycock and Brown Families; Shelly and Jonique Beadle, Oreanthia

Mackey, Laurence and Robert Smith and families; Collean Smith, Vangy Munnings, Rodney and Charlene Stuart, Pandora Rahming, Aunt Jane and family and his new neighbor friend, Francine Beneby, Spotless Cleaners Baseball family, Heineken Baseball family, T-Bird Baseball family, Sports Center Lions Softball team, Da Boys Softball team; Donald “Iceman” Rolle and family, Richard “Dick” Brown and family, Godfrey Burnside and family; M.P. for Seabreeze Hon. Leslia Miller-Brice and family; Fr. Jonathan Duka and Our Lady’s Church family, Rev’d Dr. Anthony Sampson, Rev’d T.G. Morrison, The Warehouse staff of I.D.S., Nathalie Nairn, Calista Austin, Dorothy Wallace, The Lyford Cay Club, The Premier Importers Family, Dino Dean, Pastor Rickeno Moncur and The Revolution Church family, Albert “Fatboy” Cartwright.

Pre Service

DONALD ROLLE | As I Knew Him

TRIBUTE | Kendal Wallace

GODFREY BURNSIDE | Condolences

SOLOIST | Marjorie Wallace

Order of Service

Celebrant: I place all my trust in you, my God; All my hope is in your saving word.

Celebrant: Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord hear my voice.

People: O let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleading.

Celebrant: If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord who would survive? People: But with you is found forgiveness: for this we revere you.

Celebrant: My soul is waiting for the Lord, I count on His Word. People: My soul is longing for the Lord more than a watchman for daybreak.

Celebrant: Because with the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption. People: Israel indeed he will redeem from all its iniquity.

Celebrant: To the Father Almighty give glory, give glory to his Son. People: To the Spirit, most holy, give praise, whose reign is forever.

Celebrant: I place all my trust in you my God: All my hope is in your saving word. The grace and peace of God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

People: And with your spirit

(At church entrance)

Celebrant: Praised be God the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all consolation. He comforts us in all our afflictions and thus enables us to comfort those who are in trouble, with the same consolation we have received from him.

People: Blessed be God the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

(Blessing with Holy Water)

CEREMONY OF THE PASCHAL CANDLE

Celebrant: Behold the light of Christ.

People: Thanks be to God.

Celebrant: Jesus says: “I am the resurrection and the life, the person who believes in me, though she dies, yet shall that person live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?

People: Yes, we believe that Jesus is the Anointed One, the Son of God, who is come into the world.

Celebrant: We must work the works of Him who sent us while it is day, for night comes when no one can work. “As long as I am in the world”, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world”

Celebrant: The Lord is with you.

People: And with your spirit.

Celebrant: Let us pray: Almighty Father, You raised Your Son, Jesus Christ, from the dead, so that we who believe Him to be the Light of the world may, with Him, be brought to the fullness of Light in His resurrection. Grant, we ask you, that our he who has left this world will inherit eternal life, through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever.

People: Amen.

FIRST SCRIPTURE READING | Wisdom 4: 7-15 | Read by: Tietchka Johnson (sister-in-law)

RESPONSORIAL PSALM | The Lord is my Shepherd

SECOND SCRIPTURE READING | 2 Timothy 4: 6-8 | Read by: Gershon Hield (nephew)

V Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia

R Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia

V I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life

R Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia

(Please stand out of respect for the reading of the Holy Gospel. The elderly and infirm may sit if they so desire)

GOSPEL READING | Fr. Jonathan A. Duka

HOMILY | Fr. Jonathan A. Duka

THE PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL | Read by: Victoria Wallace (sister)

Celebrant: Confident that our Risen Lord will hear our prayers this day and answer them with the love he promised to all who believe in him. We now ask,

1. Lord, you consoled Martha and Mary in their distress; draw near to us who mourn for and dry the tears of those who weep...

We pray to the Lord