It was a very fitting tribute to the late Frank Ellsworth Roulstone Jr. last Wednesday (1) when Members of the Legislative Assembly stood for a minute of silence.

Frank Roulstone was known as “The Weather Man” when he pioneered Cayman Islands Weather Station. He was the head man from the early 1960’s until he retired in 1988.

Frank died on October 26 at his home on Boggy Sound Road, West Bay, after a very long illness.

Both Frank and his loving wife Beth were two of the very first persons I met when I first came to the Cayman Island over thirty five years ago.

I was renting a one bedroom little house from the Roulstone’s parents on South Sound Road near Sunset House. One Friday night I was robbed whilst I was asleep. The robbers had managed to open one of the windows and I had carelessly left my wallet on the living room table. Not content with that they broke the water pipe, probably unintentionally as they tried to get inside the house.

Upon waking up I found what had happened and turned the water off at the well. Upon notifying my landlords within an hour up came Frank and Beth. Within minutes the water pipe was repaired and they even offered to lend me some money to use over the weekend. A complete stranger.

I have never forgotten that and never knew I was to know them both very well later on. You see my future wife Joan was very friendly with Beth. When Joan, when we were courting, invited me to church in West Bay one Sunday evening, who should come in and sit down with us was Beth.

Many times when we visited Frank and Beth, after our marriage, Frank would meet me with a beaming smile, a jovial welcome with his booming, rich voice and ask me about my drama life I was heavily involved in here. He even liked the plays I wrote, especially “Girl In A Wheelchair” (later retitled “A Cry In The Night”. He genuinely liked the play and sent it to some theatre people he knew in the USA.

That was the sort of man Frank was. He went that extra mile and was one of the most friendly of persons I have ever met.

Premier Alden McLaughlin told the House of Mr Roulstone’s community and humanitarian service, also mentioning his great enthusiasm he had for his work. He called Frank a “true nation builder”. Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush read a brief biography of Mr. Roulstone, Minister Tara Rivers said recognition of Mr. Roulstone was well deserved and both he and Beth were also (and still are) involved in tourism.

For nearly thirty years Frank provided Cayman Islands weather.

Rest In Peace. You will be missed and not forgotten.

NOTE: A Funeral Service for the Life of Frank Ellsworth Roulstone Jr. will be held on Friday at Elmslie Memorial Church on the waterfront, George Town, at 3PM. Additional parking will be provided across the road at the Port premises and Port staff will be directing mourners.