Below is a tribute to Freddie Mendes by the St. Martin Secondary School. Mendes passed away on March 11.
Mr Clifford Albert Mendes was born on 16 July 1955 at Victoria Street in Newtown, the last of five children. He attended the Roseau Boys’ School and completed his secondary education at the Dominica Grammar School.
Mr Mendes was affectionately known as Freddie. In 1978, he followed the call to the priesthood through studies at St John Vianney Seminary in Trinidad and from 1980 at Holy Ghost College in Dublin, Ireland. However, this vocation was not to be, and in September 1982, Mr Mendes began a career in the public service as a teacher.
He taught at Luke’s Primary School in Pointe Michel until December 1983. From September 1984, he substituted at St Martin School in various positions until he gained permanent appointment in September 1986. Mr Mendes pursued a two-year in-service teacher training programme from 1987 at the Dominica Teachers’ Training College and became a qualified teacher in 1989. When the post-primary vocational section of St Martin School gained secondary school status in 1991, Mr Mendes continued teaching in the secondary school.
In both Primary and Secondary sections of St Martin School, Mr Mendes taught a range of subjects including English Language, Social Studies, Religious Education and Science, and he was a class teacher at various levels. He continuously used his manual skills and technical abilities for school development and everyone checked Mr Mendes first for diagnosis and repairs of damaged items. Contact cement and shoes for repair were a daily addition to his desk area. His expert advice was sought and used to bring about successful ends to many school projects. His generous service to the school was noticeable. He played the guitar at morning assembly, school Masses, special functions, and over the years accompanied school choirs and groups to successful participation in national music and song competitions and festivals.
Mr Mendes was the father of two children, Bert and Aretha Mendes. He was a baker, fisherman, artist, domino player, catechist and guitarist among a myriad of skills and talents, and all were accomplished with proficiency and administrative roles. Where he was most acclaimed was in his musical talent as a composer, singer and musical score writer. Many national calypso kings and finalists made it through with Mr Mendes’ compositions. Schools and groups used him as resource, and he shared his knowledge and skills freely, volunteering to teach staff and students to play the guitar and to appreciate sound lyrical compositions. He contributed to the Music curriculum in secondary schools through Ministry of Education workshops.
As contribution to school fundraising in 1999 and 2000, Mr Mendes composed all calypsoes for Inter-House competitions at Carnival time while he was still busy composing and competing at the national level. “Lady Star” Marja Jeffers reached the national stage through that route. His stage name was “Man Himself” and the inter-chorus cry “Aye yay yay yay yay yay” still resounds.
The school motto painted at the entrance to St Martin School and the school banner bear evidence of Mr Mendes’ artistic abilities, along with many Carnival school band banners and costumes. Besides all of the talents in his deep selfless personality, Mr Mendes’ light shone through good interpersonal relations with parents, staff, students and the general public, and his genuine interest in the welfare of his students, especially those needing remedial assistance. His good nature and compassion were often abused. His legacy is of a life well lived, a gift, gentle giant, big teddy bear. In the words of his more recent compositions, his exhortations are to “Invest in your Mind” and “Make your Life your Prayer.”
R.I.P Sir Mendes you will be miss by your loved ones sir mendes you are one of the greatest teacher i ever had love you
Sad sad sad our area have lost another great contributor to area and country. U will be greatly missed by school children calypsonians family and friends . U impacted so many lives ,u will be remembered, RIP sir mendes , Freddy, man himself , u surely played your part . Berty and Mensia be strong .
RIP
Condolences to the family.
Invest in your Mind and Make your Life a prayer—News article
People just in case you may not notice that line above, because it is at the very last of this news article, I have quoted here for you to see. Why? Because it is one of the most profound statement a person can ever make.
Mr. Mendes is gone to his grave, I am sure that he will rest in peace until the resurrection of Jesus Christ. However if anyone should keep him in memory it is important to keep those words of his, in memory, as well—because of its “grounded” principle of Life.
Someone may be asking, what does it means? To “invest in the mind” means that we are to go out of our way to make sure that our mind is in its best shape—rich in Spiritual wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and discernment
—thereby demonstrating what is the good, acceptable, and perfect Will of God Almighty–our creator who gives us Life in Loves, by our faith in the Son, His Person of Love, Jesus Christ
Continued from above #2
The Mind is the Battlefield through our existence in this world; the battle is between Life and death—God wants His seeds of Life to be produced on its ground, so that the fruits of Life can be the food of our soul in its awakening–our inner being come to Life, by the quickening of the Light of Jesus Christ. The seeds of Life are sowed on the grounds of our mind from conscience–where God connects us to Himself by the Power of Holy Spirit.
On the other hand the devil wants his seeds of death produced on that same ground of our mind–the seeds of futility are sowed through the control of our human senses, the fruits of vanity and death are fed tp the demands of the flesh in alls its passion and pride.
And so we need the gift of “discernment” to know the path of the messages which enters our thoughts, if we care to rebuke the messages of death—“for as a man thinks in his heart so is he”.
The mind that is in bad shape—meaning in its carnal condition—is enmity to God because it cannot receive the things of God. And so the person with a carnal mind condition is a natural man, “but the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; neither can he understand them for they are Spiritually discerned”.
That is the reason we need to “invest in our mind” for the world, and its futile system including all it material riches along with its lust or passion is passing away; but the person, who stands for the glory of God in all his thoughts, words, and actions, is guaranteed Life in Eternity–in the Land of Paradise with Jesus–even if that person might pass away in body before the return of Jesus Christ—I am sure that Mr. Mendes is one of those persons.
One more thing! #3
“To make your Life as a Prayer” means that you are demonstrating Life in the Spirit in all your words and deeds–which are the products of your mind in the shape that is rooted and grounded in Love–for Love is the Life of Jesus Christ, which is the Light of your soul. Again I am saying: “As a man thinks in his heart so is he”
The more you pray to God through sincere faith, the more you will thrive in the Ways of Love, people who are spiritually discerned will see the Light of Jesus Christ through all your attitude and conducts–that is the blessings you receive from God as you pray to Him–but only according to His Will for your Life
Nonetheless, God wants everyone to have the Life of Love in them–but He gives us “free will” to make that choice–He will not force Life on you.
It is obvious that Mr. Freddie Mendes made that choice of Life, you all confirmed it to me, through your comments here, you all sound genuine..
His advise to: “Invest in your Mind” and to “Make your Life a Prayer” is a Motto you cannot ignore–if indeed you have chosen Life from God Almighty be your faith in the blood of His Son, His Person of Love who is Jesus Christ.
The apostle Paul says the same thing to us through his words: “Do not be conformed to the world, but be “transformed” by the “renewing” of your mind, that you may know what is the good, acceptable and perfect Will of God” and so to give Him the glory in all your thoughts and all your physical demonstration. Blessings
What an excellent tribute to one who was so caring, generous with his time and helpful, going that second mile and more… His life was well lived and a prayer. He will be missed.
Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul rest in God’s glory and peace. Amen!
Aye yay yay yay yay yay….I really felt this one. RIP
R I P Mr Mandes Jah bless your family,friends and students too and comfort them at this time ! Jah knows best ~
May your blessed soul continue to rest in eternal peace…..sing out ur soul in heaven with your maker….u shall NEVER be forgotten Sir Mendes.
May your blessed soul continue to rest in eternal peace Sir Mendes……u shall NEVER be forgotten…..
Freddie,
My good friend and classmate.
Your gifts of talent shall never die. You are forever in our hearts…
i spoke to marja…and she is away on business and the news really shocked and hurt her..she is devastated by this loss and even more that she was not there to be with her school, and calypso family…she is not going to be there in time for the funeral but i just want her to be strong and know that Sir mendes really loves her and wants her to excel in everything….work, life and calypso…keep singing for him star…..i know it hurts…be strong for him
Sir Mendes, Gentle rest. You will always live in our hearts. I cannot travel for the funeral but my entire spirit will be in Dominica during the funeral. SMSS stay strong!!!
I served with Freddie on the board of the Newtown Fisheries Co-operative for many years. Never heard a dissenting voice form Freddie – always positive, always a good christian. Even when attempts were made to malign the board, it was Freddie who served as the “peace maker”. To suggest that he never got vex would be untrue. What he did better than most of us was to manage his anger in a way that even those who angeredhim could not tell whether he was angry. When I heard a certain group last week seeking to associate in their press conference, I thought to myself. Here goes Freddie again. Feddie could not stand a good bone in that these people. But he disagreed with them in a manner that was not disagreeable. And the public got the message. He instead wrote and sang a calypso instead. That was the metal of the man. At the NFC Freddie served as Secretary and even fisherman. He taught many a fisherman at the society how to write their name so that to this very day the praises keep pouring for “teacher” as he was affectionately known among the fisherfolks of Newtown. Rest in Peace my friend. Earth’s lost is heaven’s gain.
Rest in perfect peace Sir Mendes. Your work on earth is done. You were a great teacher. Good job S.M.S.S for putting this tribute together.
RIP
Rest in peace Sir Mendes.
A truly gigantic man he was. Humble yet larger than life. May his soul RIP
well said! he will be missed!
Touching! He was a man of God. May his soul rest in peace.