Undine Giuseppi is dead

A prolific writer and lover of the English language Mrs Giuseppi began writing at the age of eight in her native Barbados where she was born on July 15, 1917. In her autobiography I Remember she recalled that as verse writing came easily to her, one of her first works was penning a love verse to a boyfriend in primary school.

Over the years she built up a veritable library of literary work some of which is still used in Caribbean schools. In the field of education her work includes Nelson Readers, Backfire, Anthology of Poetry for use in Caribbean Primary Schools.

In addition she wrote biographies of Sir Frank Worrell, Sir Learie Constantine, and insurance executive Russell Tesheira. Other books were Caught in the Slips (not about cricket but the English language), Developing Word Power, Writing is Fun and Writing is Still Fun. With her husband, the late Neville Giuseppi she wrote Out for Stars, Sugar and Spice and more recently published Act of God, a collection of stories.

Mrs Giuseppi was for years vice principal of St Augustine Girls’ High School. At retirement she was appointed principal of the University of the West Indies School, eventually opening her own very successful Giuseppi Preparatory School. For years she wrote a teaching column “Do You Know” in the Sunday Newsday. She lived most of her life in Trinidad and her command of the English language was second to none, but she never lost her Bajan accent. Her sense of humour was well known and those who knew her well remember her declaration that from the first moment she saw Neville Giuseppi and decided she would marry him, he didn’t stand a chance of escaping.

She and Neville were married in 1942 and enjoyed a very happy marriage for 57 years until his passing in 1999. He was also 89 when he died.

Undine and Neville are survived by their daughter Diana Flax and son Neil Giuseppi, communications specialist, and four grandchildren, Warren, Jo-Anne, Lisa and Nicole.

Mrs Giuseppi was awarded the Humming Bird Gold Medal in 2001 for her work in education. Funeral arrangements are to be announced.