It really was a beautiful surprise birthday celebration on Sat. 1st Oct for 78 year old Ransford Terry put on by friends and family at the Ramada Grand Caymanian Hotel on the edge of the North Sound. Friends and family gathered there by the dozens. After we all were seated and all the greetings were over, the celebration started with the Archdeacon Hollis Lynch of St. George’s Anglican Church offering a beautiful prayer for Ransford and indeed all of us, including blessing the food at the same time. Lammie Seymour, one of our Island’s singers and performers, provided the music. Popular songs of yesterday all arranged by Lammie – songs that took me back in time. Chairman for the evening was Verdon Terry and he had a lot of good things to say to all of us after his words of welcome. Once the first course was finished, we were treated to pictures of the Terry family and that certainly was a real treat. Following the pictures, Ransford’s daughter Joy paid a beautiful tribute to her father, followed by another from his other daughter Christine and others in the family. (Those Terrys are really a respected and friendly family.)

Ransford has been a member of the Cayman Male Voice Choir and involved with the Elmslie United Church choir all his life, and a nicer person you don’t want to meet. Nicky Godfrey gave a beautiful tribute from the Male Voice Choir wishing him a very Happy Birthday and God’s richest blessings on him and his family, followed by Elmslie’s Pastor John Macmillan’s tribute and a comment of “ how young Ransford looked”. Bunny Miles (cousin) also gave a tribute  and further tributes followed from the ‘posse’ from Florida.

A final tribute was given by Verdon Terry and ‘Happy Birthday’ was sung by us all. Beautiful music of yesterday: “I’ll Always Remember”; “I Had the Dance of my Life”; “That Magic Moment”; “Blind Love”; “Gal what you doing”; “Don’t Stop Now”; ending  with “Ragga Ragga” and “One Love”. Good old songs from yesterday, like I said.

It really was a beautiful evening; Ransford really appreciated it and deserved it as well.