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Name: |
" Ermyntrude Southwell " |
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D.O.B: |
9/10/1946 |
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D.O.D |
03/07/2026 |
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Country From: |
Grenada |
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State /
Parish: |
St. George |
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District |
Vendome
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Place of Death |
Queens, New York, USA
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Service Date |
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Details: |
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The funeral for the late Ermyntrude Southwell will take place on Friday, March 27, 2026, at Grace Deliverance Tabernacle located at 650 Remsen Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11236. The viewing will be held from 5pm-7pm followed by the funeral service at 7pm. She will be laid to rest in Brooklyn, New York, USA. Please give your condolences to the Southwell family.
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Special Info
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Ermyntrude Southwell, lovingly known to many as "SaySay Lee," passed away on March 7, 2026. She was born on September 10, 1946, in Vendome, St. George's, Grenada, to Joseph and Catherine Ross. She was one of ten siblings.
Her mother was a homemaker, and her father owned a shop where he baked and sold bread. Her mother passed away when Ermyntrude was a little girl, and she was then raised by her older sister, Theresa, and her father, Joseph. Ermyntrude attended Vendome Roman Catholic Primary School as a young girl.
After the passing of her mother, Ermyntrude spent her adolescence in Trinidad alongside some of her family. She attended Callenders Commercial School in Cocoyea, San Fernando, where she met her best friend, Orris Gabriel, who was like a sister to her but preceded her in death. Being part of such a large family helped shape the person she would become—someone who deeply valued connection, loyalty, and always being there for the people she loved.
As a young woman, Ermyntrude moved throughout the Caribbean, eventually settling in St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It was there that she met and married Merryl Southwell, with whom she shared 50 years of marriage. During her time in the Virgin Islands, she worked in the hospitality industry, bringing her natural warmth and welcoming spirit to everyone she encountered.
Ermyntrude and Merryl built a family together and were blessed with three children: Schenelle, Wendy, and Keither.
Though she traveled frequently between the Virgin Islands and New York over the years, Ermyntrude eventually made Brooklyn, New York, her permanent home in 1983. There, she dedicated many years to the healthcare field, caring for others with the same compassion and kindness that defined her life. Later, she transitioned into a career in childcare.
Family meant everything to Ermyntrude. Coming from a large family herself, she naturally became the heart that kept everyone connected. Her home was the center of family events. Over time, she grew into the beloved matriarch of the family—someone people turned to for advice, comfort, laughter, and support. She believed deeply in being kind, offering a helping hand, and showing up for others whenever they needed it.
Ermyntrude's unwavering faith in Jesus and devotion to her church family were central to her life.
Anyone who met Ermyntrude quickly felt her genuine spirit. She had a way of making people feel comfortable enough to share their stories, struggles, and joys. Many found in her not just a friend, but a confidante.
She also had a vibrant personality that could light up any room. Ermyntrude was fun, playful, and a little sassy at times. She loved to laugh, joke around, and was always ready with a quick comeback that would leave everyone smiling. She was also known for her baking, especially her famous carrot cake—something people always requested more of. Planning fun bus rides and events was also something she truly enjoyed.
Above all else, she was a devoted mother and grandmother. Her greatest joy in life was her children and her cherished grandchildren: Kelsey, Morgan, Mackenzie, and Tori. They were truly the loves of her life, and she took immense pride in watching them grow.
Ermyntrude was preceded in death by her siblings Theresa Ross, Agnita "Beryl" Ross, William Ross, Stephen Ross, and Raymond Ross, as well as her daughter, Keither.
She is survived by her loving siblings Eric Ross and his wife, Lucille Ross; Ann Drew; Venice Ross; and Velda Alexander; her daughters Schenelle and her husband, Roland Harte, and Wendy; and her bonus daughters, Candice Gabriel and Tanya Brown. She also leaves behind her beloved grandchildren; her nieces and nephews—Hope Ross, Joy Marryshow, Wayne and Cheryl Ross, Denard and Dwayne Drew, Joseph and Patrice Ross, and Jason Alexander—who were especially close to her; and a large extended family of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends who will continue to carry her memory forward.
Ermyntrude's legacy is one of love, strength, laughter, and unwavering devotion to family. She touched the lives of many through her kindness, warmth, and the simple but powerful way she made people feel seen, heard, and cared for.
Though she will be deeply missed, the memories she created and the love she shared will live on in the hearts of all who knew her. She will forever remain the center of the family she helped hold together.
"Rest easy, our beloved matriarch.
The love you planted in this family will bloom for generations to come."
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