Arthur G. “Ossie” Naylor
 Naylor.jpg) |
| A.G. “Ossie” Naylor |
A.G. “Ossie” Naylor entered Kingston College in 1935 when the school’s enrollment was 135 boys and the main building at Clovelly Park was still almost brand new, having just opened the previous year.
It was not surprising that Ossie was sent to K.C. since his older brother D.B. had preceded him there in 1931. However, the main reason was that their father was a devout Anglican and Elder of the small community church at Tom’s River just a stone’s throw from Castleton, that picturesque town in the foothills of St. Andrew and home to the famous Castleton Gardens.
Ossie grew up in that idyllic rustic setting and relatively distant time past when cultivating of bananas was the main activity and this was no doubt a major influence in his choice of plant pathology and entomology as his profession later.
On graduating from K.C., with the Cambridge School Certificate in 1939; Ossie entered the Civil Service and was posted with the Ministry of Agriculture at Hope. Subsequently he won a scholarship to the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture at St Augustine in Trinidad where he obtained his Diploma in 1948.
Ossie’s work in agriculture was impressive. He took special interest in plant diseases found in Jamaica, carrying out extensive studies throughout all the Ministry’s Experimental stations.
In 1959 Ossie read for his Master’s Degree in Plant Pathology at Cornell University, where he did research on the development of new hybrids of legumes which would be resistant to local diseases in Jamaica. In 1974 his work led him to publish a book “Plant Diseases of Jamaica” This was the first definitive study of its kind done in Jamaica and became compulsory reading for students at the Jamaica School of Agriculture for many years. To this day this work is still a major reference of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Ossie decided in 1975 to take an earlier retirement from his post as Chief Plant protection Officer and along with his wife Hermine migrated to Toronto, Canada.
Here in Canada Ossie continued his dedicated and unassuming way to serve where he thinks there was a need. Lead by his strong Anglican faith he gave of his time assisting the elderly and those shut – in, as well as served our Association as the steady, reliable, hard-working and committed Secretary for many years.
On August 1, after a brief illness; Ossie was called home for his well earned rest. To his widow Hermine, children Constance, Dorothy and Christopher and host of other family and friends we tender our condolences and ask that you comfort yourselves in the memory of a life filled with kindnesses and joy, and rich in service. |
