Berkel Family Website

Eulogy

On March 20, 1929, Samuel Augustus Berkel was born to Josiah and Esther Berkel on the island of St. Eustatius.  He was the eighth of eleven children.  Since birth, he has defied the odds. Having been born so premature that his size was not much larger than the palm of the hand, he was muffed in preparation for death.  His eldest sister, Ruby, took charge of his care.  Ruby fed him from an eye-dropper until he began to thrive. Subsequently, he would be known for his healthy appetite.

At age 15, he left Statia and went to the islands of Aruba and Curacao.  There he served in church as a Sabbath school teacher and chorister.  Of the jobs he held there, he talked with great pride of teaching people to drive and their successfully getting their license on the first try.  In 1960, he married his childhood friend, Elme Sprott, who he affectionately called “Dushi”.  Their union was blessed with five children.  In 1965, he migrated to New York City, USA and within days of arriving gained employment at a company where he would never have to worry about working on the Sabbath.  He was an expert at building custom-made pizza ovens for Baker Pride Co. He worked there for over 30 years.

Sam was a loyal family man and a conscientious father.  A welder by trade, he would comment that parenting was the only thing that did not come with a manual.  In December 1995, Sam once again defied the odds, surviving 16 hours of surgery and painstakingly learned how to walk again on legs that had been scheduled for amputation. In 2004, he fulfilled his dream of retiring on the Golden Rock.

Once again on Statia soil, he did what his heart longed to do which was tend to his garden and visit friends and family. He prides himself in teaching all of his children and grand-daughter to drive.  He loved checkers and dominoes – Changa! Dos Way ga. For us his children, who have never been able to win him, he remains the reigning king.

Dad loved music. It was an integral part of his life.  He was a part of several choirs, the Mount Vernon Male Ensemble, enjoyed singing with his children and playing the piano by ear.  Any family gathering at his home was a time to celebrate and enjoy each other’s company blending our voices.  The songs were never complete until dad chimed in with his melodious baritone/bass.

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference”.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 51 years, Elme Berkel-Sprott, and his siblings: Ruby Brice-Berkel, Harold Berkel, Hubert Berkel, Benish Berkel, Arabella Guy-Berkel, Clifton Berkel, and Vera Spellman-Berkel.

He is survived by his five childen: Gerard Berkel, Jacqueline Walker (Steven), Shirlene Berkel, Charlise Berkel, and Tyrone Berkel. His grand-children:  Shelson Hughes, Shernique Hughes, and Armand Vasquez. His great grand-children: Laniyah Hughes, and Tyreece Hughes. His brothers: Ivan Berkel, St.Clair Berkel, Ishmael Berkel, and sister- in-law Olive Berkel-Morris.  He also leaves to mourn a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.