By Krisendatt Matadin
There was tremendous outpouring of love and support for the family of the late David Cameron Latchana at Ogden Funeral Home in Scarborough, Ontario on Sunday, August 18, 2019. David was born in Albion Estate, British Guiana (now Guyana) on May 31, 1933. A retired school teacher, David transitioned to be with his ancestors on August 15, 2019.
Throngs of attendees of all races, religions and creeds came out to share grief and fond memories. Former neighbours and pupils in Guyana came from New York, Florida, Connecticut and other places in the USA to pay respects on an overcast evening that turned out to be a whirlwind of emotion.
David was the eldest son of seven children of the late Philip and Kathy Latchana. David who had been ailing for some time passed away peacefully in a Long Term Care Facility in Toronto.
A Corentyne High School Alumnus, Class of 1949, David graduated with the Senior Cambridge Certificate and started his teaching career at Albion Canadian Mission School, his alma mater. He later became a fully qualified Class One Trained Teacher.
While teaching at Albion CM School, David met Violet, a fellow teacher and one of twelve children of the late Jimmy and Cathy Latchana, rice millers of Fyrish, Corentyne. Both fell in love with each other and got married in 1958. They enjoyed a matrimonial union lasting over 60 years and produced four very successful children. David's teaching career spanned over 40 years. During his tenure he taught at Albion, Bohemia and finally Cropper where he retired in the early 1990s. David and Violet shared almost 80 years of combined teaching experience.
Often seen as the consummate educator, David knew teaching to the core. He was an exponent of preparing children for the Secondary School Entrance Examination (Common Entrance). Truly gifted in the art of delivering knowledge, David dedicated his life to follow his passion for teaching and strived relentlessly to mould thousands of young minds.
David revelled in his family's love. He established an ideal family structure and brought up his children in the ways of God, disciplining them to live very Christian lives. As the eldest brother he was caring, watchful and overly generous to his siblings. Born into a well-to-do family, David was often praised for his down-to-earth human touch. He reached out to the less fortunate in his community, offering assistance to those in need.
After retirement from their teaching careers, both David and Violet migrated to Canada to join their children who were already well-established in their adopted homeland. In Guyana David was a staunch worshipper at the Bethel Presbyterian Church located at Albion Front. In Canada, both David and Violet joined the Malvern Presbyterian Church in Toronto and took active roles in church-related activities. David loved to sing hymns and was a member of the church choir.
David was pre-deceased by his parents, brothers Victor and Arnold and great-grand daughter Kareena. He leaves to mourn brother Kenneth; sisters Mabel, Ivy and Florence; his wife Violet; sons Martin (companion Dayma); Michael (Shaneeza) and Marlon (Indira); daughters Kristen (Rahul) and Marcie (Martindale); grandchildren Joshua, Kristin and Maya; and great grandchild Nadine. David will be fondly remembered by in-laws and extended family (the Buchans, the Kanhais, the Veeramallays, the Harripersauds, the Chees and others).
David Latchana was laid to rest at Pine Hills Cemetery, 625 Birchmount Road, Scarborough, August 19, 2019 at 10:00 am.
David Cameron Latchana, the personification of goodness and grace, will always be a timeless icon in the lives he nurtured. Teacher David has left a legacy of a life well lived.
