"Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies." Proverbs 31:10
While the world was still in shock and mourning the sinking of the Titanic, the quaint settlement of Devil's Point, Cat Island was buzzing with excitement on Sunday, 26th May 1912, especially the home of Moses Rolle, as his wife, Victoria, gave birth to their 6th child. They named their darling daughter Blunetta, a variation of the Italian name "Lunetta"; a name given to girls. Of interest is that "Lunetta" is a name derived from the Greek root word "Luna" meaning "little moon". One could say "Papa Moses" and his dear wife saw the uniqueness of their newborn daughter, and thought that their daughter's name should be varied to mean "blue little moon" because Blunetta grew to be the type of woman who was rare and of fine quality; a woman that one could only find once in every "Blu moon".
Affectionately called "Blu", Sister Blu, Auntie Blu or Cousin Blu, Blunetta grew up in Devil's Point with her parents, siblings- Florence, Ishmael "Cash", Muriel, Euterpe, Irene, Vernel and Ivan and extended family; the Mackeys, Rolles, Delancys, Strapp, Sutherlands. Blu attended the All-Age school at Devil's Point under the tutelage of Mr. Walter Gilbert. School was a place that Blu loved and enjoyed. Although school attendance was limited to three days per week for "girl children" in those days, Blu took advantage of every opportunity she had to learn from her pupil master, and excelled in reading, reciting from the Royal Reader and writing. The other two days were spent farming the land at Burt Road Hill along with her family and cousins, including her best friend and playmate Rapelitha Mackey.
In those days, times were hard for most people living in The Bahamas because the economy was mainly agricultural-based. However, the people in Devil's Point lived as one; caring for each other and sharing the little that they had. Mama Victoria "Toya" died when Blu was a little girl, leaving Papa Moses a widower as a fairly young man, so Blu went to live with her maternal grandparents, Alexander "Alec" Mackey whom she called Pa-paa and Clarista "Dungy" Mackey whom she called "Mum-ma". Pa-paa and Mum-ma were strict disciplinarians, and saw to it the Blu attended Zion Baptist Church every time the Church doors were opened. Like most men of his day, Pa-paa was a farmer and worked his "field" while Mum-ma, who was blind, took care of the chores around the home with the assistance of Blu. Speaking fondly to her children about growing up with her grandparents, Blu recounted stories of the tricks she sometimes tried to play on her blind grandmother, but as she said, Mum-ma could not be tricked and she would be punished.
"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life." Prov. 31: 11 and 12
Blunetta grew to be a lovely young woman in the settlement of Devils Point, and caught the eyes of a few eligible bachelors. However, it was the handsome young man named "Arthur Leon Roach" from out of town, that is, Steventon, Exuma, who got Blunetta's attention and sparked her interest, when he came to live with her Uncle "Buddy" and Aunt Emma, Leon's paternal aunt. Leon first met Blunetta when she went to draw water from the well and their love for each other grew. When Papa Moses, Pa-paa Alec, Uncle Buddy and Aunt Emma agreed for the match, Leon asked for Blunetta's hand in marriage by writing the official letter to the house. After securing Blunetta's hand in marriage, Leon then left for Nassau where he worked for one year and saved his money in preparation for the wedding. On 29th March, 1934, Leon and Blunetta were married by Rev. Charles Thompson in the home of Leon's cousins, Doris and Wilfred Richardson, who stood as matron of honour and best man respectively, with Evelyn Roberts, and George Rahming as witnesses.
God blessed the union of Leon and Blunetta with seven children, two sons and five daughters, which lasted for 73 years until Leon passed away on 26th April, 2007. Their eldest son, Arthur Leon Roach junior, predeceased both parents when he passed away on 12th October, 1995.
In 1940, Blunetta accepted the Three Angels Message of the Seventh-day Adventist faith for herself and joined the Grants Town Church through baptism. Her husband Leon had been baptized since 1936, and now the entire family could follow the biblical teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist Church fully. As she put it, "I never looked back and never regretted being an Adventist". A believer in the principle of home, school and church in the rearing of children, Blunetta, along with her husband, ensured that there was morning and evening worship, especially on Friday evenings, in their home. They took their children to church and saw to it that they participated in all church activities.
She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also praiseth her. Prov. 31:27 & 28
For a woman with only a 3rd grade education, Blunetta was an avid reader of books especially the Bible and the writings of Ellen G. White, such as "the Adventist Home" and also "Your Bible and You". Blunetta also taught her children and grandchildren to read, to learn the multiplication tables and to practice their math problems. Every night she studied the Sabbath School lesson with her children, and every Sabbath afternoon, she read to her children (and grandchildren), the "Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Story" series. Oh how she read with expression that one could see the characters come alive!
As a member of Grants Town, Blunetta served for years in the Church Choir, the Dorcus Society, as a Deaconess and as Head Deaconess. In 1980, Blunetta transferred her membership to the Maranatha SDA Church, where she served faithfully as a Deaconess, a member of the Willing Workers Band, and the Prayer Ministry. For many years she baked the bread for Communion Services for both the Grants Town and Maranatha Churches.
Seventh-day Adventist Christian education was the mantra of Roach household, so Leon and Blunetta couple always admonished their children to seek lofty educational pursuits. While travelling to the United States with her husband, Blunetta saw the advantages that a good Seventh-day Adventist Christian education could give her children and they both determined that this was what they wanted for each of them. Therefore it comes is no surprise that all of their offspring excelled in their educational pursuits. Indeed, their occupations run the gamut of professional careers inclusive of University Professors, Senior Civil Servants Entrepreneur/Business persons, Legal and Medical Professionals. It was a financial sacrifice but the Lord always made a way and blessed their efforts.
Blunetta never allowed her children to be idle because as she would say, "idleness is the devil's handy work". Therefore, she saw to it that her children went to Mr. W. Bain for piano and violin lessons. She taught them how to sew and crochet; cook and clean the house; bake whole wheat bread, potato bread tarts and cup cakes; make cream cake, coconut cake, peanut cake, benny cake, ice cream on Sundays and; make guava jam; bottled tomato; plant and farm.
She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeith it; with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. Prov. 31 13-17.
Blunetta was an enterprising business woman and always found a way to earn money from home. In the late 1930s, when her eldest daughter Clara was a tiny tot, Blunetta sailed on the Betty K to Miami to visit her sister. While there, she purchased a few items to "turn over her hand" or re-sell upon her return to Nassau and that was the beginning of her business ventures with Leon. They operated a petty shop on Market Street, then moved to the corner of Market and Vesey Streets, then East Street and then again on Market Street. On Sundays when the shop was closed, Blunetta would go around to homes peddling her dry goods while Leon went to work. Blunetta was always thinking of ways to bring income into the house; to be a help mate to her husband.
After purchasing the land on Young Street with Leon's first cousin Frank Roach, it was time for her husband Leon to make a critical decision to leave his wife Blunetta and young children to work on the contract so that he could earn money to build their own home and to stop paying rent. Leon knew that he could trust his dear wife to keep his family together and not to squander his money while he was away and she did not disappoint him. After working on the contract for a few years, Leon had earned enough money, which Blunetta saved, to build their plateaus 2 bedroom stone building home on their portion of the land. Though the house was unfinished, Blunetta and Leon moved into their homestead on Young Street.
Blunetta also spent time on the contract with her husband. After those days were over for her, she remained at home while Leon continued working on Contract, sending money home to support his family and to finish the home in Young Street. Because of her steadfastness and thriftiness, when her husband returned, once again, Blunetta put in Leon's hand his bankbook with savings and land papers for four lots that she had purchased during his time on the Contract.
She girdeth her loins with strength and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and he hands hold the distaff. Prov.31:17- 19
It was also around this time that Blunetta embarked upon a new career in the field of cosmetology in the early 1950's. She enrolled in the first Beauty School in Nassau which located in the Elks Building on Baillou Hill Road. The course was conducted by a Mrs. Harper, a lecturer from "Sunlight School of Beauty Culture" Miami Florida and operated by the late Dr. Willamae Saunders. Not to be outdone by the younger women, Blunetta put her mind and skills to the task, finished the course, and opened her own hair dressing shop on Market Street. Later, she and her late husband made an addition to the house on Young Street, where she combined a dry goods shop with the beauty salon. This business supported the household for many years along with her other home businesses.
There were times when the economy in The Bahamas was not the best and bills needed to be paid, so she accepted employment as a housekeeper. Upon moving to the farm on Hanna Road, Fox Hill, Blunetta found employment as a housekeeper in the homes in Mr. Montgomery of Lyford Cay, Senator Donald McKinney, The Curry's on Eastern Road and Mrs. Thompson in Sea Breeze Estates. However, one job was never enough for Blunetta. Beside farming, where she raised some of the best fruits and vegetables and also chickens, she begin to plait straw and made straw bags which she sold wholesale to the straw vendors in Fox Hill such as Mrs. Timothy, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Ferguson.
Blunetta knew how to make a living and every little business that she put her hands to, God blessed it. Due to the use of her foot pedaling sawing machine, Blunetta injured her knees and the task of stitching straw bags became difficult. Leon's first cousin, Alice Rolle, encouraged her to become a lunch vendor. Blunetta sold lunches to L. W. Young for a number of years and retired; devoting the remaining time to her farm and home, along with her husband.
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. Prov. 31:20 & 26
A God fairing woman with a big heart, Blunetta opened the homestead of the Roaches to many of her relatives and strangers who needed a place to stay until they could get on their feet, and helped to rear a number of children other than her own. One could not come to her home, without leaving with something in your hand; whether it was out of the farm or something that she had made. Never was she one given to gossiping and idle talking, many young women and men, both married and single were given good counsel and words of wisdom about how to live. A fun-loving person who loved telling jokes, Blunetta was also a firm and fierce women who did flinch when the situation demanded it.
Many daughters have done virtuously, but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. Prov. 31: 29-31.
There is so much more that could be said about this virtuous woman but what was most important to Blunetta was her love for and service to God. Sister Blunetta was a woman of prayer and fasting. Oh how she could sing the hymns of Zion! On Sabbath morning 24th August, 2013 while resting in bed at her daughter Adelma's home, Sister Blunetta declared in praise "On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand; All other Ground is sinking Sand." This is the same song she sang to Dr. Davis while he attended to her in Princess Margaret hospital on Thursday 12th September, 2013. While Blunetta's strength began to fade in the last few months since her 101 birthday, her faith in God remained steadfast and strong! "God be with you, Mama, Gramma, Sister Blu, Auntie Blu, Cousin Blu, Sister Roach 'till we meet us again; till we meet at Jesus' feet".
Many daughters have done virtuoursly, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. Prov. 31:29-31