It is with tremendous sorrow that we announce the passing of Awad Ronald Narine on June 26, 2021.

He was born in June 1942, in Met-en-Meerzorg, West Coast Demerara, Guyana to parents, Seow Naraine and Bindoo Mattie. With seven older sisters and two younger brothers, he, as the first son, was destined to become a pillar for the family.  Indeed, he became the anchor, a loving husband, loving father, loving grandfather, loving brother, loving uncle, loving teacher.

Ronald was a guide, mentor and an educator to innumerable individuals with whom he crossed paths.  Teaching for him commenced at an early age in Guyana, but he strengthened his fervor for knowledge and instruction departing to Canada and obtaining a Bachelor’s in English at McMaster University, a Master’s in English from University of Toronto, and a subsequent Master’s in Education—fortifying a career in education that would span 5 decades.  His oratory ability and philosophy inspired success—for some, by graduating, for others by achieving academic prowess; but for all, by acquiring a sense of self-worth.

A perpetual pedagogue, his passions included poetry, prose, politics, the Apostles, the Upanishads, prevailing in debates, punctuality, punctuation, spelling, and proper syllabification, imposing his wisdom on his wife, siblings, nieces, nephews, sons, grandchildren, and countless students. He was a gifted storyteller, religious scholar and a voracious reader, and could quote Scripture just as easily as the Vedas or Shakespeare or Joyce.

He is loved, he is revered, and he will be missed.

Ronald was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Ghan, Lala, Betty, Sunny, and Seeta, and his nephews Jahm and Jack. He is survived by his wife, Leela; children, Suraj, Avinash and Kalindi; grandchildren, Christopher, Ayaan, Niam, and Reya; sisters, Rattie and Uma; and brothers, Freddie and Prakash.