Former Anglican Bishop Randolph George dies

By Shemuel Fanfair

Retired Anglican Bishop Randolph George died peacefully at his Republic Park, East Bank Demerara home on Monday. He was 92. The father of four was a priest for 63 years and served as Bishop of Guyana from 1980 until his retirement in 2008.

Bishop Randolph George
Bishop Randolph George

He served stints in Trinidad and England and later in the local Anglican Diocese at St Mathews, Supply, Golden Grove and Soesdyke, all on the East Bank of Demerara.

Speaking with Guyana Times on Monday, his widow, Sheila George, who he wed 45 years ago, said that her husband was caring, thoughtful and was fully devoted to the work of the church and welfare of parishioners.

“He was a great encourager and as a priest, he was very meticulous about his priestly craft and even when he became a bishop, he always said that he would have preferred to be a parish priest, because it gave him contact with people on a regular basis.”

George’s widow, a teacher by profession, further explained that her spouse particularly liked working at parishes in the interior locations.

Mrs George told Guyana Times that the family was still coming to grips with the loss. “We all feel a sense of loss: it doesn’t matter how old the person is, it’s part of our lives and it’s as though half of yourself is cut off. We’re all very closely knit… we’ll miss him,” the Bishop’s widow highlighted.

In 1946, George trained for the priesthood at the Codrington Theological College in Barbados. Bishop George was also at one time the Chairman of the Integrity Commission but he will mostly be remembered as a man who gave a great deal of his life to the service of the Anglican Church.