Dozens turned out for the memorial tribute to National Trust co-founder and art patron Christine Millar on December 14 at Mille Fleurs, Port of Spain.
Millar died on November 27 after being ill for some time.
Daughter-in-law Sharon Millar said Christine suffered cruel and unusual punishment over the last five years, following a stroke in 2018.
[caption id="attachment_1051552" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The Millar family at the tribute for Christine Millar at Mille Fleurs on December 14. - ROGER JACOB[/caption]
“For a woman who gave so much, she didn’t deserve to be in the situation she was in. Before and after her passing, there were people communicating constantly. In a situation like that it’s always tricky, you have to think about who to exclude, and how to incorporate the multi-faceted areas of her life.”
She thanked those who had contributed to the tribute, those who had helped to take care of Millar in her last days, and those who had come to the tribute.
“I want to thank all of you for coming out. We’re truly delighted to see this support for a woman who lived for almost a century, and I think truly transformed the cultural and artistic landscape of TT. The generosity that came into organising the tribute was an indication of how much good she had done in her life and people just kept calling to offer their help. From the time she passed, it was liked those five years were gone, and her spirit was right back.”
Granddaughter Mairi Millar said Christine’s Sunday dinners brought the family together, and she remembered greeting her grandmother and being around family. She spoke about her feelings around her death.
“My headpiece was the cross on her coffin. She was an atheist until the end and how she ended is not how I thought she would end, I don’t think anyone thought she would end this way. I thought she was going to go up in fireworks on Independence Day, and what it proved to me was the problem of evil, that God can either be all powerful or all good, because what happened to my granny was not all good at all, so that’s why I took the cross off her coffin. Thank you Granny and I love you.”
[caption id="attachment_1051556" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Adrian Philbert and pannist Dane Gulston perform at the memorial tribute for Christine Millar. - ROGER JACOB[/caption]
Art Society past president Clayton De Freitas said he could not have asked for any better support than Christine when he was developing as an artist. She owned Deltex Art Supplies for many years and was well known for her generosity.
“She always saw in artists a potential. She had a way of standing in front of a painting and saying gorgeous. She would come to every exhibition the Art Society had, whether the opening or during the week, and buy a piece of art.”
He said she would sponsor children in the children’s camp and different things in the Art Society.
[caption id="attachment_1051555" align="alignnone" width="1024"] A photograph of Christine Millar at the memorial tribute held in her honour at Mille Fleu
