‘David wanted to find out about God’

"That was the essence of his relationships and his life’s work," Brother Earl David of the Arouca Kingdom Hall said yesterday at Clark and Battoo Funeral Home, Tragarete Road, as he paid tribute to the former founding member of the National Carnival Development Foundation (NCDF).

Fifty-nine-year-old McKell was also one of the founding members of the Printing and Litho-graphers Association of TT, member of Rabs Immotelle, and vice-president, public relations officer for Harvard Club.

The chapel was packed to capacity with only standing room when the service began at 8 am.

Displayed in front of the open casket were framed photographs of McKell at different stages of his life, highlighting his roles as mas man and family man.

David said McKell was like his namesake (biblical David), fearlessly pursuing goals in the face of overwhelming odds.

"On Monday January 30, 2006 at around 7 am David succumbed to his battle with cancer."

McKell was receiving treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Re-search Centre in Texas.

David said McKell’s appreciation for the creativity and talent he saw in Carnival led him to co-found the NCDF "to ensure that the small man got his due in credits and royalties."

In the last eight months of his life, McKell’s family and friends saw an intense hunger for spiritual things. He wanted to know what Jehovah was about. David said McKell had many questions and found solace in the scriptures.

McKell’s brother, Lester, said he was both sad and angry at his younger brother’s passing.

He said a void was left. While McKell was hasty at times, Lester said his brother took on the problems of others. McKell disliked mismanagement and inefficiency.

"He might tend to be impatient but maturing he became more tolerant and understanding.

"While he might ‘buff’ here and there, he was sympathetic, always de-pendable."

McKell’s children Adam, Allyson and Daniel all paid tribute to their "generous, passionate, loving and witty" father in the programme for the service, which contained their expressions of love. McKell also leaves to mourn his wife of 37 years Patricia, his mother Irma, and siblings Wayne, Patricia, Christopher, and Mark. He was the grandfather of Nathaniel and Niklaus.

The interment was at the St James Crematori-um.