Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer

Sonia Segree (right) is comforted by her friend Merline Sterling at the funeral for her husband Clifton Constantine Segree at the Portmore Missionary Church in Portmore, St. Catherine, on Wednesday. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer

Spanish Town, St. Catherine:

Representatives from a wide cross section of the media fraternity flocked the Portmore Missionary Church to show their respects to the life of late journalist Clifton Constantine Segree.

While not a packed congregation, the emotions of close associates, colleagues, friends and family were clear for all to see that Segree, who was 64 years old and was president of the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) in 1984, had simply gone too soon.

The glowing tributes made to the life he led as a renowned journalist, who has helped to streamline the profession to its current standard, was well received by those in attendance.

PAJ President Desmond Richards told the gathering that, though the life of a journalist was a hectic one, persons like Segree made it a worthwhile venture. He described him as a legend and said he left a void that would be hard to fill.

Going beyond expectations

Granville Newell remembered Segree as one who was insightful, well-read, brilliant and who would go beyond his expectations to do the job.

"I remember meeting Segree in the RJR newsroom in 1970, at which time we did not have CARIMAC, so his duty as desk editor was to teach us all he knew, and he was great at doing this," Mr. Newell said. "And today I salute him, as his life has impacted positively on mine."

Items of song were rendered by Barbara Jones-Lewis who did Under His Wings as well as a splendid rendition of Until Then.