EULOGY
Sarah Leah Joseph Tannis
On Wednesday 26th. January 2022, Sarah Leah Joseph Tannis also known as “Cherrie” died in Brooklyn, New York after a battling cancer. She was 64 years old.
Sarah is survived by her siblings: Brothers- Rafael Eugene Tannis also known as “Raphie”,Karston Terrance Tannis also known as “Kay” ,Darnley Fredrick, Keston Fredrick and Arden Camron Tannis all residing in the USA.
Sisters-Daffodel Ruthlyn Tannis also known as “Dell” Julian ,Carmel , Bernice and Ingrid Fredrick all of New York. USA. Clarewen Pamela Tannis also Known as “Wen” Juanna Osborne and Nelly Phipps of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Many nieces, nephews and cousins including: Gail in Canada, Ezra, Xavier also known as Charlie, Shawn, Anthony and Chiney in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Dotsy, Edward, Imran, Navaro and Mishca in the USA.
Sister-in –Laws Dr. Arlette Ann Cox Tannis, Vanda Tannis and Selda Tannis, all of New York and Esther Tannis St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Special Friend: Evelyn Stowe and Hazel Mc Millan USA
She was preceded in death by her mother Myrtle Osborne Tannis and brothers Lloyd and Nelson all formerly of Bequia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Sarah was born on 7th, December 1957 in Ocar, Bequia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. She graduated from Emanuel High School, Kingstown, St. Vincent in 1976. and went on to attend Brooklyn Community College where she graduated with honors in Business Administration from in 1995. Sarah Major in Computer Science and Accounting at the Brooklyn College of the City of New York University in 1996.
Before migrating to the USA Sarah served the nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines through para military service. She was a member of the batch of females to be enlisted in the St. Vincent Cadet Force in 1974. This youth organization, its training and mentorship by its leaders more than any things else is responsible for character Sarah became.
Influenced by her Cadet training Sarah went on to join the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police force in 1979. She was trained at the Regional Police Training College in Barbados, she also received training in England from the M16 and the FBI in the USA. Sarah served as an intelligence officer in the Special Branch Unit of the Force. Unfortunaly she retired early due to injury suffered during training as a recruit. Sarah attained the rank as corporal.
Sarah wore many hats on her journey through life. She was first and foremost a devoted and dedicated Christian and a founding member of the Faith Temple Church in Kingstown St. Vincent and the Grenadines where she was the driving force behind a national youth organization called Crusaders International. It was through this church program that Sarah’s persona as a no nonsense and forthright yet humble person emerged. This brought her into many conflict with church authority. Sarah served as District Commissioner and Unit Commander of Crusaders, she was a Sunday school teacher and National and Regional Youth President of the Pentecostal Assemble of the West Indies.
At the time of her passing Sarah was a serving member of Kingdom Life Ministries International led by Dr. Peter Bonandie. Her contributions to that ministry are to numerous to mention here. Suffice to say that Sarah’s contributions to Kingdom Life Ministries are invaluable and will continue to impact lives for generation. Tribute by Kingdom Life Ministries will be given separately.
Before migrating to the US Sarah exceptional organizational skills and ability was evident, she was CEO of the Unity Gospel Band led by Fidel Taylor in early 1990s’. . Taylor in a Tribute to Sarah had this to say “When Sarah came on board the ministry soared, we began planning bigger and more impacting events, which included concerts across the nation with leading local and Leading Caribbean Gospel Artiste such as the Emeralds, New Life Ambassadors and others from SVG, the late Joseph Niles, the Sister Marshall and the Gospel Comforters, the Nazarene Silvertones and Toney Lowe from Barbados, Peter Regis, Nicole Baloosing Holder from Trinidad, the Dynamic Gospel Airs, Lester Lewis and others from Jamaica, along with other leading Artiste from the windward and leeward including Claude Paralon and the Regenerated Singers from Tortola. …
Two of our biggest and more successful events were the Internationally acclaimed Ron Kenolly from the USA Concert, that attracted over 5000 persons and the that attracted between 4000- 5000 patrons Annually. With Sarah on the Team we Soar like the eagle, the band also went on to minister in various Caribbean Islands including St. Lucia, Barbados and publish a book on the ministry of the band We did local recordings for radio and televisions in those days.
Sarah was a musician and a singer in her our right at a time when steel pan was taboo in the church she played the base in a steel pan band that helped steel pan music gain acceptance in church worship. She was also a member of the then famous Faith Temple Chorale Group along with her friend Hazel Mc. Millian.
Sarah was an entrepreneur and ahead of her time as it relates to computer in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In 1991 she started a company SATIDROCS ENTERPRISES LTD. which thought computer applications, Word Perfect and Lotus 123. The only of its kind. He clientele included employees of Cable and Wireless and the St. Vincent Electricity Services. Sarah migrated to the USA to further her studies in computer science and left thriving business under management and never looked back. In the USA she continued her entrepreneur pursuit and created Genesis Integrated Business Services and GIBBS Travel Agency which fuel her personal passion for travel. Over the last 20years Sarah visited over 100 countries with her travelling buddies.
Sarah had no children but treated her nephews and nieces and cousins as if they were he own kids. She loved helping disadvantage people. Her latest act of benevolence took place on her last visited to St. Vincent and the Grenadines where she pledged to fund a little boy’s education through to Secondary school. Before she left St. Vincent last September she had made financial arrangement for his meals, uniform, transportation and books for 2022. Sarah last wish and prayers was for God to grant her twenty more years in which time she and a friend who She was preceded her in death visited St. Vincent last September had started to put plan together to build a shelter in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for sexually abuse Girls.
Sarah Leah Tannis “Cherrie” was a woman who lived her life her way. Every day was her birthday because she always wants a party. She loved to laugh and will always make you smile. The way she helps you eased your pain you will never know that her back was killing her because she never shows it.
” Sarah Tannis I know was an extra ordinary person, with outstanding qualities, giftings and abilities, one who walked humbly before God and man, she was a woman of excellence, a woman of virtue, who loved God and people, one who cared, one who give of her all to serve and help others. The Sarah I knew was not perfect she had her flaws like all of us. But her strengths triumphed over her weakness and her good over her bad. The Sarah I knew, has ran well, has kept the faith and has fulfilled her divine assignment her on earth” Pastor Fidel Taylor .
SARAH LIVED LOVED AND LAUGH