Seymour Nurse remembered by many

The body of Barbados and West Indies cricketing great Seymour Nurse lay in repose at the famous Empire Club, Pavilion Road, Bank Hall, St Michael, this evening.

Relatives, distinguished cricketers, including Sir Charles Griffith, gathered at the location to view the body of the 85-year-old who played for the West Indies between 1960 and 1969.

Members of the 105-year-old club came out in their numbers to pay respects to Nurse who would have made a significant contribution to the club for which he not only played cricket, but was a striker on the football team as a young man.

Some that gathered paid tributes to Nurse, whose contributions to the game he loved continued long after he left the field of play. He went on to serve as a mentor and coach to many Barbados and West Indies players and was also an administrator and selector.

Roger Mayers, a member of the Empire Club said Nurse’s tremendous impact on the club would never be forgotten, and noted that his cricketing record was within the realm of royalty.

“Apart from that, he was a healthy contributor to the club, both financially and coming around watching cricket. It is only but fitting that his body is viewed here this evening,” Mayers said.

Vice-president of the Barbados Cricket Association Calvin Hope said he was saddened at the loss of the legendary cricketer and superb coach, who he said had a wonderful personality.

“He would have given yeoman service to cricket both on and off the field. As a cricket coach at the National Sports Council, he would have coached several generations of cricketers, including myself from the age of 12. We all feel the sadness and the loss,” Hope said.

One of Nurse’s twin daughters, Roseanne Nurse, told Barbados TODAY that today’s turnout for the viewing showed that her father was well loved and appreciated.

“He was an amazing athlete when he played. He was awesome at cricket and it is very touching to us that so many people came out to pay their respects and we really appreciate it. We know that he is great because he is dad. And I know that a lot of people say a lot of good things about him, but it is obviously evident with the amount of people that have come to pay their respects today.

“He is having his official funeral on Friday morning at 9:30, at Kensington Oval, so our friends and family and all of those cricket fans are welcomed to come and just celebrate his life and be able to say goodbye,” Nurse said.

His body will be in repose at Cricket Legends, Fontabelle, tomorrow between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.