Hilda Josephine Chen

Hilda Josephine (Boland) Chen was born in Mile Gully, Manchester on October 8, 1924, eldest child of Ina (Boland) Senior. She made her transition peacefully on November 5, 2010 at the Howard University Hospital in Washington DC, her home for the past thirty five years. Hilda received her formal education in Mile Gully up to the First Jamaica Local Examination level and was a trained seamstress. It was while plying her trade in Mandeville she met her future husband, Lester F Chen who she later married in 1945. The couple moved to St. Elizabeth and subsequently raised a family in Siloah. She partnered with her husband in a number of entrepreneurial ventures including retail, wholesale, bakery and trucking. The couple migrated to the United States in 1975 to the Washington DC area. There, Hilda continued her community activities through the Holy Comforter Episcopalian Church. Miss Hilda, as she was affectionately called made her presence felt in the Jamaican and the wider community through her kindness and generosity. Miss Hilda was a generous and giving individual with a very soft heart. She tried to hide this softness beneath a very contrary and sometimes cantankerous exterior, however, for those who encountered her experienced her warmth, generosity and love. Miss Hilda is survived children Lyleith Williams, Ft Lauderdale, FL, RoxRoy, Silver Spring, MD, Glaiston (Terry), Rockville, MD, Gavin, Kingston, Ja. and Washington DC, Vivienne of Washington DC, seven grandchildren, Andrea, Michele, Christopher, Anthony, G. Michael, Michael and Steven, seven great grandchildren, Greer, CJ, David, Donnovan, Bryan, Cyrus, Cara and Shane. She also leaves three sisters, Myrtle of Kingston, Ja., Ivy of New York, and Gloria of Grange Hill, Ja., two brothers, Lloyd and Reggie of New York, sister-in-law Joy of New York, three daughters in law, Faye, Dottie and Sara, all of the Washington DC area, one son in law, Wilson Williams of Ft Lauderdale, one grandson in law, David of Washington DC and two granddaughters in law, Jenny of Indiana and Jen of Germantown, MD and a host of nieces and nephews, other relatives and family friends.

Tributes

Hilda Josephine Chen

October 8, 1924 - November 5, 2010