Vincentian sports personalities wed
By Nelson A. King
In what was described as “A Match
Made in Heaven,” popular Vincentian
sports personalities Stanley “Luxie”
Morris and Dr. Roxie Irish finally tied
the knot Saturday after four decades of
an intermittent relationship.
Morris, a St. Vincent and the Grenadines
sports ambassador represented
his country in soccer (football), was captain
of the national soccer team, coach
of the national youth soccer team, and
coach and manager of Team St. Vincent
and the Grenadines in New York’s Caribbean
Soccer Cup and Irish, a Born-Again
Christian since a youth and a former
national netball star, said “I do” to each
other at a very solemn and passionate
ceremony at Irish’s home church, Miracle
Temple Ministries, an evangelical
church in Brownsville, Brooklyn.
Dr. Irish, a youth minister at the
church, is also president and founder
of the popular United Vincie Cultural
Group of Brooklyn (UVCGB).
The couple first met in 1979 when Morris
returned home from the United States
to participate in a “Colors and White”
Soccer Match during the national team
camp at the Arnos Vale Playing Field,
outside the Vincentian capital, Kingstown.
Irish was participating in a netball
game at the adjacent netball court.
In the intervening years, Morris
admitted that he had “strayed” but realized
that he needed to “reconsider and
reconnect,” according to the wedding
program.
“Although many years passed, he
knew his heart belonged to Roxie,” it
says. “He changed his life, rekindled the
flame and, in May 2018, by God’s grace
only, Stanley proposed to Roxie,” it adds.
“She accepted, and they got engaged.”
“Today, here they are, man and wife,
together forever in the presence of God
and man,” the program continues. “And
Stanley says, ‘Only God, only God, in
Him alone I trust and will for the rest
of my life.”
Many Vincentian community leaders,
parishioners at Miracle Temple Ministries
and members of the clergy were
among relatives, friends, supporters and
members of the Vincentian sporting
fraternity at the standing-room-only, 1
½ -hour-long ceremony, presided over
by the church’s Jamaican-born pastor,
Bishop Dr. Ermine Stewart.
“On this occasion, you have the right
formula,” Bishop Stewart told the couple
before asking them to exchange wedding
rings. “I believe if you love, you will last
and last and last, and will last forever.
“You’re going to deal with positives
and negatives; but, once you love each
other, your marriage will last,” assured
Bishop Stewart, who was married for 56
years to his Jamaican-born wife before
she died recently.
He, however, emphasized that effective
communication is the key to a successful
marriage.
In his marriage/wedding message,
Pastor Glenn, whose full name was not
Caribbean L 30 ife, April 12–18, 2019
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley “Luxie” Morris cut their wedding cake. Photo by Nelson A. King
given, of Harvison Church in Greenwich,
Conn., where Morris worships,
asked Morris, rhetorically: “Who would
believe you will find a netball player
(huge applause)?
“Truly, this is ‘A Match Made in Heaven’
(applause),” he said, invoking the
theme of the ceremony. “This marriage
is a picture of God.
“Stanley and Roxie, we salute you
on your wedding,” Pastor Glenn added.
“And we pray that God will bless you all
the days of your life.”
The Bridal Party comprised Faith
Barnett, the bride’s best friend, as Maid
of Honor, and seven bridesmaids – Dailene
Bobb, the bride’s younger sister;
Sherry-Ann Morris, sister of the groom;
Nicole Grant; Michelle Maxwell; Maxene
Parris; Dionne Thomas; and Kimberle
Thompson.
On the groom’s side, Garth Williams
— the groom’s best friend, who flew in
for the occasion from St. Vincent and
the Grenadines – served as Best Man.
The seven groomsmen were: Perrie
Allen; Josyl Barchue and Denzeyl Morris,
the groom’s nephews; Cody Bobb
and Andrew Gabriel, the bride’s nephews;
Orande “Kemmy” Christopher, a
former St. Vincent and the Grenadines
national youth calypso monarch and
former soccer player in Brooklyn’s Caribbean
Cup; and Kijuan Dale.
Trisha Primus was junior bridesmaid;
Zachary Spence, the bride’s nephew,
served as junior groomsman; Rolan
Francis was ring bearer; and Taryn
Mantock and Victoria Frith were flower
girls.
About 360 guests — including St. Vincent
and the Grenadines’ United States
Consul General, Howie Prince; former
St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Ambassador
to the US, Organization of American
States and United Nations, Kingsley
Layne; and erstwhile St. Vincent and the
Grenadines Deputy Consul General to
New York, Cyril “Scorcher” Thomas —
attended the subsequent four-plus-hour
long reception at Leonard’s Piazzaro in
Great Neck, Long Is.
In his toast, Williams said he and
Morris were school mates at the St. Vincent
Grammar School, one of the top
secondary schools on the island, stating
that they “played soccer and cricket, and
‘limed’ together.
“We remained buddies and best
friends,” added Williams, disclosing,
however, that he was 33 years and 36
days ahead of Morris in marriage.
Barnett said she “prayed and yearned,”
and “got anxiety attacks for this day.”
“Roxie, I’m proud of you,” she said in
toasting the couple. “You’re a woman
of integrity, you’re a virtuous woman,
you’re a woman of class.
“Roxie, I wish you joy,” she added.
“Stanley, I wish you joy. I love you both,
and thank you for being a part of this.”
Morris said he had prayed to God
to change his life around and that he
knew he had found “someone special”
in Roxie.
“I knew then I’ve found a gem,” he
added, alluding to their first encounter
in 1979. “I strayed somewhat.”
Roxie retorted that she’s watched how
Morris “has grown” in Christ.
“We kept in touch, but God has the
last say,” she said. “Stanley ‘Luxie’ Morris
is a child of God.
“I love you, and I can’t wait for us to
do whatever together,” she added to loud
laughter, prompting Master of Ceremonies,
Bishop Dr. David N. McDonald to
remark: “I never heard Dr. Irish speak
like that.”
Vincentian songstress Erlene Williams
King toasts the couple in song.
Photo by Nelson A. King
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley “Luxie” Morris.
Photo by Nelson A. King