The family of Obediah Wilchcombe and many other Bahamians are preparing to say their final farewell this week to the veteran Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) politician, former journalist, community activist and government minister, who died suddenly in Grand Bahama on September 25.

On Wednesday, Wilchcombe's body will lie in state at the House of Assembly, Parliament Square from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. for members of the public to pay their respects.

A state funeral is set for Christ Church Cathedral in Nassau at 11 a.m. on Thursday.

On Friday, his body will be brought to Grand Bahama for viewing from noon to 5 p.m. at Gerald Bartlett Police Headquarters Complex, East Mall Drive.

A memorial service will take place at Bishop Michael Eldon Auditorium at 6 p.m. on Friday, and the official funeral service on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Pro Cathedral of Christ the King Church.

Wilchcombe will be laid to rest in West End Cemetery next to his father's remains.

"We are still in shock, but we are coping and keeping together as Obie would want us to," his brother, Christopher Wilchcombe, said.

There were a few changes made to the original homegoing itinerary, which initially included a viewing in Bimini to give the late minister's constituents on that small island an opportunity to bid their representative farewell.

However, his brother said the Bimini event will no longer take place and the minister's remains will be flown back to Grand Bahama for public viewing.

"We are coping every day ... one day at a time and just dealing with it. He is the first of eight children to pass," Wilchcombe said.

"Obie was a great brother to us and an amazing servant to the people."

The minister was found unresponsive and rushed to the trauma section at Rand Memorial Hospital, hours after giving a speech to the Grand Bahama PLP Women's branch meeting at the party headquarters.

At the time of his death, he was minister of social services, information and broadcasting, and member of Parliament for West Grand Bahama and Bimini.

Prime Minister Philip Davis has said Wilchcombe's contributions to the party are unmatched.

Wilchcombe's political journey began in the early 90s when he was elected chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party.

He was appointed a senator in 1994, before being elected as member of Parliament for West End and Bimini. He served in that capacity from 2002 to 2017.

Wilchcombe was re-elected in 2021.

He was very involved with community, sporting and civic organization, through donations and support that were not always publicized.

Founder of HIV/AIDS Survivors Benefit (HASB) Grand Bahama, Kevin Delancy, described Wilchcombe as an avid supporter of the organization.

"Obie was by my side every step of the way lending help to HASB," Delancy said.

Wilchcombe was among the first group of benefactors honored by HASB back in 2017.

"In his last message for World AIDS Day, he said that he was absolutely proud of the work I was doing, helping persons living with HIV and AIDS. Even though I thanked him, I just want to publicly express my profound gratitude for his words of encouragement and the love he showed to me," Delancy said.

"I truly don't know what I would have done without him. His generosity gave me hope to continue the work of HASB."

The post Wilchcombe to be laid to rest in GB this week appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

The post Wilchcombe to be laid to rest in GB this week appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.

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