Lady Shoul Laid to Rest

Tears flowed freely as relatives, friends, and dignitaries eulogized the life of Lady Marie-Louise Shoul who passed away in July, just weeks after celebrating her 100th birthday.

She was buried at the St Johns Public Cemetery, following an official funeral at the Holy Family Cathedral on Michael’s Mount Tuesday.

The eulogy was delivered by Ambassador David Shoul, who remembered his mother as a woman who loved her family, the less privileged, and her country.

“She was Lebanese by decent but she took one trip to Lebanon in the 1970s and could not wait to get back to her beloved island of Antigua,” Ambassador Shoul recalled

She is also being remembered for her tireless community work which included coaching and training Carnival Queen contestants at her residence in Newgates Street.

“Lady Shoul looked out for the underprivileged with the same degree of love and attention she gave to the prime ministers, movie stars, and investors,” he said

Ambassador Shoul said Because Lady Shoul’s husband; his father, was highly respected, she was instrumental in all of the social aspects of government.

“Our mother was also instrumental in hosting training and accommodating the early carnival queen contestants. In those days, there were no evening buses…so when the young ladies who lived out of St Johns could not get home after practice, mommy made her child give up our beds to accommodate them overnight,” he said

As the mother of one daughter, Lady Shoul treated every young woman like she treated her child.

The late Lady Shoul was born Marie-Louise Younis to Lebanese merchants Antoine and Sophie Younis in Guadeloupe on April 28, 1923.

She spent her childhood in Dominica where her family moved to when she was six months old. She arrived in Antigua at the age of 12.

Governor General Sir Rodney Williams and Lady Williams, Prime Minister Gaston Browne and his wife Maria, Speaker of the House of Assembly Sir Gerald Watt, other members of Cabinet, and parliamentarians on both sides of the house were among those in attendance