A passionate teacher, mother and mentor

She had an infectious smile that could illuminate a room and warm any heart.

Pauline Monica Peart was a special kind of woman, and it wasn’t just because she was the first girl after her four brothers, but because she loved deeply, she cared genuinely and she moulded lives positively.

Born October 3, 1956, to parents Vincent and Clementina Peart, Pauline brought a difference to the home, even though she was soon transformed into a little tomboy.

It was no secret that the values instilled in her by her parents, coupled with her own drive to do well in life, propelled her to steadily climbing the ladder of success and pursue her passion.

She received her early education at Fairfield Basic School and later Fairfield All-Age School. Peart then started attending evening classes where she sat Jamaica School Certificate exams and was successful in all her subjects.

Following this, she was granted a position as a classroom teacher at Fairfield Basic School, and this is where her love for the teaching profession was born.

As a child, she dreamt of becoming a nurse, but having developed a love for teaching, she later changed her mind and was soon enrolled in the Bethlehem Teachers’ College where she completed her diploma in early-childhood education.

Upon graduating from Bethlehem, Pauline taught at Nazareth All-Age School, Plowden Primary and then Bethabara Infant School , where she spent 22 years until her passing.

During her tenure at Bethabara Infant, she sought to upgrade from a diploma to a degree and, in 2003, she graduated from Northern Caribbean University with a bachelor of arts degree in primary education.

Pauline loved teaching and was passionate about her “babies”, as she affectionately called her students. She never wavered in her efforts to give her best, though she battled hard with her illness.

Her love for her one and only daughter could not be questioned either, as she spoke highly of her whenever asked. Their bond was unbreakable and became even stronger when her illness reduced her strength and independence.

A stickler for detail, Peart was a vivacious woman who loved to laugh, loved telling enthralling stories, loved reading, watching TV, going out with her daughter, talking to her favourite sister, and loved cooking, especially for family gatherings.

But on Wednesday, October 19, 2016, after ailing for six years, God saw that she had fulfilled her purpose and she needed her rest. She lost the fight with her illness, but won the hearts of many.

Peart leaves to mourn her mother Clementina, daughter Sharmica, six brothers, two sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, church family, co-workers, the “babies” at Bethabara Infant School and friends.