CONTRIBUTED
Lucille Lue, who died on Christmas Day at the MoBay Hope Medical Centre in Rose Hall, St. James.
Adrian Frater, News Editor
Western Bureau:
Renowned hotelier Lucille Lue, who died on Christmas Day of complications related to kidney failure, will be buried this afternoon in Montego Bay, following a midmorning funeral at the St. James Parish Church.
Ms. Lue, who was a well-respected voice in local tourism circles and had the enviable distinction of being the only woman to have served as president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), was honoured by government with the Order of Jamaica (OD) in 1992 for her contribution to tourism.
The funeral, slated to start at 11:00 a.m., is expected to have a host of government and tourism officials in attendance. Among those slated to give tributes are Tourism Minister Aloun Assamba, junior minister in the Ministry of Tourism Wykeham McNeill, who will represent Prime Minister P.J. Patterson; and veteran entertainer A.J. 'Booths' Brown, who will pay tribute in song.
Among the other dignitaries who are expected to be in attendance are JTB chairman Dennis Morrison, Director of Tourism Paul Pennicook; JHTA President Horace Peterkin, as well as members of the Montego Bay civic, political and social circles.
calming influence
While she was considered a calming influence on the tourism sector by persons such as current JHTA president, for many, the woman, who was the general manager at the popular Coral Cliff Gaming Lounge at the time of her death, was seen as the 'Iron Lady' of the industry because of her no-nonsense style and her penchant for making tough decisions.
Following the funeral service, which will be officiated by the Reverend Justine Nembhard, the priest of the St. James Parish Church, and will have her nephew Mark Guthrie preaching the sermon, Ms. Lue's body will be interred at the Dovecot of the St. James cemetery.
Mother Doris Lue, son Richard Lue, sisters Yvonne Nam, Dorothy Harris, Faith Davies and Alma Baptiste and brother Dudley Lue survive Ms. Lue, who was 62 at the time of her death.
