A model of grace, humility, and devotion

By Anthony Vahni Capildeo, Rhona Baptiste and Renessa Tang Pack

Leila Capildeo, née Bisoondath, passed away on Divali, Monday, October 20, at the age of 87. Her funeral Mass took place at Clark & Battoo Funeral Home, Port of Spain on October 24.

She was born on February 11, 1938 into a loving Hindu family—her parents were Rampersad Bissoondath and Seedai née Narayansingh, and her siblings are Mona Dolsingh, Harry Bissoondath, Ruth Samaroo, Crisen Bissoondath, Sheila Rampersad, Vidia Bissoondath and Ashandram Bissoondath.

She grew up in Sangre Grande, while also spending time with maternal family in Red Hill. To facilitate travel to St Joseph’s Convent, Port of Spain, she boarded with the Naipauls at Nepaul Street in St James.

In between and after periods abroad, she lived in a variety of Port of Spain locations, including with her in-laws at 17 Luis Street, and a blissful, independent, young married life in a flat in Cascade.

She and her family settled first in Alberto Street, where she grew roses and painted stars on the blue ceiling of her son’s nursery, then finally in Federation Park. Leila was the wife of the late Devendranath Jawaharlal Capildeo, mother of Kavi Capildeo and Anthony Vahni Capildeo, mother-in-law of Ratna Capildeo, and grandmother of Tej Capildeo and Kovid Capildeo.

Leila was an alumna of St Joseph’s Convent Port of Spain class of 1956, an Island Scholarship winner who then pursued tertiary studies in French and Philosophy at the University of Exeter in England and the Sorbonne in France.

She also studied law and was a member of Lincoln’s Inn, excelling in criminal law, but decided not to complete her training and instead returned to start family life in Trinidad. She went on to have a career in teaching at Bishop Anstey High School and Holy Name Convent.

The consensus among all, which shone in the many funeral tributes from her family, friends and schoolmates such as Rhona Baptiste, Barbara Jenkins, Valerie Laurent-Thomas, and Annette Wiltshire, is that Leila was a model of grace, humility, intelligence, wit, fun and devotion.

She was a loving and dedicated wife, mother, grandmother and sister to her family and she reached out in friendship and solidarity to many. She had a gift for loyalty, and she continued to maintain ties with the late Madre Marina Barbero, her Spanish teacher at St Joseph’s Convent, as well as her classmates from University of Exeter, Keith Cameron, and Norma Dawson.

Foreign languages and music were among her interests. She was surrounded by poetry in her home. Her late husband, in addition to being a singer who had captured her heart with his singing, was a poet.

It would be their combined influence in producing and cultivating in their offspring Anthony a love for the art form, which later led to Anthony’s becoming an accomplished academic and a renowned poet.

Fr Anthony de Verteuil CSSp, officiant at Leila’s funeral Mass, shared that he journeyed with her and was instrumental in imparting to her the truths of the Catholic faith and inviting her into the Church.

He also shared that Leila was baptised as a Roman Catholic about two years ago after having been inspired to do so by a vision of Jesus. She had a particular love for St Francis of Assisi, always wearing an olive wood Tau, and had learnt Italian in her 80s to follow the Assisi services and hymns online.

As she embarks on the journey to her heavenly home, we all pray for her eternal rest in the light of Christ. Given that she was baptised on the Feast of All Dominican Saints on November 7, we have no doubt that, as that Feast approaches, the Dominican Saints will also be interceding for her as well as her offspring Anthony, who is a Lay Dominican in the Edinburgh Fraternity.

Here are two poems dedicated to her that reveal to us the influence of her life on others.

Soliloquy for Leila

By Rhona Baptiste

Tuesday, October 22

Recited by author as part of eulogy at funeral service of Leila Capildeo on

behalf of her classmates SJC/POS 1950– 1956

Jes’ so you appeared

The Messenger that night

To assure us that yes,

you were on your way

fulfilling that Destiny

to which you were pledged

Your troth as Daughter, Sibling, Scholar, Wife and

Mother, Grandmother to boot!

To brood

and to breed

and to bless

Countless episodes

of Love and Laughter

Especially

With friends, forever…

School chums enveloped with

Life’s pains and pleasures

always shared

Like kith and kinsfolk would

Until…

you saw fit to send

The Messenger.

Arriving two nights ago,

seeking comfort

in pattern

of like design camouflaged

on fabric,

The Messenger signaled

Your Time was nigh

To depart Earth’s Journey

And onto the

New One that

Was awaiting.

T’was an anxious space

as we anticipated the Inevitable

And today, the news came

Arriving from a Beloved child…

And so your work as harbinger

of The Message

Had ended.

Beautiful Butterfly, YOU disappeared!

I know not whence

this morning.

Leila, our dear Classmate

is now at Peace.

Your message delivered.

Circles

By Renessa Tang Pack

(Pentecost Sunday – June 8, 2025)

Dedicated to Leila Capildeo and Anthony Vahni Capildeo

Sunrise reveals our inner paths

and their circularity where…

those of the same circumference of circle—family, tribe, community or religion

and those of different circles

cross paths and collaborate

despite differences in language, creed or opinion

forging a blessed and heartfelt communion

Silent struggles in silos,

but in concentric circles

that oftentimes overlap

Several hearts together bleeding

for a just and peaceful earth

Yet at times those in the same circle,

in their haste collide

in this carefree yet chaotic world

over-ambitious humanity has created

We meet, discuss and sometimes fight

And oftentimes reflect and then forgive

So is our lot—to love, to laugh and live

in circles of solidarity that endure forever

with our Creator who himself is circular

the heart of all that was, is and will be

Replete ….

in wisdom and in love

In truth and goodness

In peace and justice

Our Alpha and Omega.