Family, Hospitality and Storms

The life of Adelaide Levons-Olivacce highlight love, affection, and perseverance expressed through significant familial hospitality.

Adelaide, known as Buna or Mom to many (and affectionately called Booboo by her siblings), was born January 24th, 1924 in Soufriere Dominica to Sidney and Alice Olivacce. She studied to be a teacher there,  but left before getting a job.

Adelaide Olivacce met Alfred Levons when he came from his home of Anguilla to Dominica on a fishing trip with a friend. Adelaide wasn’t aware that Alfred was interested in her, but when he returned home to Anguilla he wrote to her father Sidney and expressed his desire to marry her. Alfred came to Dominica and worked on Sidney’s farm, Gattchet estate, exporting lime juice, lemon juice, and extracts. Adelaide took in her niece Martha, the expression of her familial love and hospitality while they lived in Dominica. Adelaide and Alfred were married in Anguilla, and traveled there with her niece Martha, and her children Patsy, Lorraine, and Mary. The small family returned to Dominica, where Adelaide had several additional children, Vera, Aubrey, Julian, Joseph, Lucianna, and Olive.

While in Dominica, Mom was known as her father’s secretary. She handled her daddy Sidney's affairs on Gattchet estate. She was a song bird always singing to the high pitch of her melodious voice when there was some sort of trouble brewing in the family or elsewhere. Two classic songs she loved then were ‘Far Away Places That I’m Dreaming Of’ and ‘The Hands of God on the Wall’. She believed in her faith from a very young age. She Loved her Jesus. Mom never made a move without the Holy Spirit. She always said that our move from Dominica was directed from a vision. She was indeed a visioneer, and would never do anything without praying. Every morning and evening was prayer time in Dominica for our family. She was a great support to Alfred. Adelaide was strict with her children. Her favorite switch was her slippers to correct us with. Children rose for church at 5 every Sunday.

Adelaide’s brother, Uncle Nel, immigrated to the United States first, and established his own citizenship. Uncle Nel sponsored Adelaide and her husband, a significant gesture of hospitality, and the kids would follow afterwards. To establish their citizenship, the pair moved to the states while leaning on familial hospitality to take care of their children. Adelaide, Alfred, her sister Alice, and children left Dominica in 1963 traveling by boat to Alfred’s family in Anguilla. The small clan had a treacherous journey, almost being consumed by a storm, that forced Alfred to take control of the boat from the incapacitated captain and forced others to bail water out with buckets. They landed safely in St. Maarten, and stayed with Alice’s husband there before finishing the journey to Anguilla. Patsy stayed with Alice, and Olive, just a baby, lived with Adelaide’s brother Harrison, all in St. Maarten/St. Martin. Vera went to Anguilla and lived with Ursula and Mary, and the rest lived with Alfred’s mother in Dominica. Alfred constructed an outhouse and added a small addition to his mother’s house for the children. Alfred and Adelaide immigrated to make a way for their family, leaning on the hospitality and sponsorship of Uncle Nel.

The children came to New York in several waves, first Mary, Aubrey and Vera immigrated in 1964, afterwards the last sibling, Benton was born in New York - the first of the Levons-Olivacce clan born in this country. The rest of the children immigrated afterwards in 1968 bringing the family together once again. Alfred flew with the kids to New York in 1968, but because of a storm the family was diverted to Boston. The children did not have winter clothes, but braved the storm to take the Amtrak down to New York as the storm progressed in their direction. Adelaide, her husband, and 10 children lived on Eldert St., and then Bushwick Ave. in Brooklyn. As part of their familial hospitality, the boys shared a room with their cousins Pat and Jamesy who came to New York after high school for further education. Then in 1970, the family purchased 129 Woodbine, the house that has been the home for all of the Levons-Olivacce clan to this day.

Growing up in NY at Woodbine was fun. The young Levons’ really united as a family growing in their younger years. They enjoyed the holidays together. Especially thanksgiving, families would come and share meals together. Christmas was when we gathered together and shared gifts. It was a joy. Adelaide’s husband, Alfred was a painter in St. John’s hospital, and took care of the family. Her favorite food to cook was rice and beans - and the beans had to be red kidney beans - and baked chicken. When she cooked she cooked for the whole block. As she grew to feed even her grandchildren, she would make them curry chicken, rice and corn. Mom was always willing to pray for someone no matter the circumstances. She was quick to quote a scripture to support her stance. Her belief in the word and the power of prayer was her guiding force. She was a prayer warrior.

Just as they leveraged so much generous family hospitality for their kids, Adelaide and Alfred opened their home to nieces and nephews and cousins and their children’s families to help give them a start in America. Besides when her children were in school, Adelaide also created space for: Annie, Marva (whose young family would eventually stay there as well), Colin, Monique, Tisha and Alfred, Euldenice, Olive and James and their young family, Pat and Tony Nisbett and their families, Monroe, and most recently Dennis and Eddie and many other dear friends and family throughout the years. Mom's journey was designed by God, a life lived with faith, grace, and purpose.

Adelaide (Buna or Mom) Elizabeth Olivacce-Levons,

born on January 24th, 1924 in Soufrier, Dominica,

died October 10th 2022.

Leaves to mourn:

Children: Mary  Bartholomew, Lorraine Smith, Vera Romain, Aubrey Levons, Julian Levons, Olivia Johnson, and Benton Levons.

Son in law: James Johnson, Kenley Smith

Daughters in law: Nanette Levons, Monique Levons

Grandsons: Kenneth, Anthony, Edmund, Robert, Floyd, Joseph, Andrew, Julian (Ange), Jaquan, Jermel, Alfred, James Jr., Jamel, Benton, Breon

Granddaughters: Agnes (Annie), Debbie, Cassandra, Adelaide (Della), Leticia, Kim, Nicole, Dominique, Gabrielle, Janesha, Monique, Latisha, Jade and Wynter

59 Great grandchildren.

Great great grandchildren: Rhashide, Akayla, and Kamila.

Close relatives: Marva Picou, and Martha Olivacce

Adelaide was related to: Levons, Olivacce, Lake, Nisbett, Molanus, and other relatives in Anguilla, Dominica, St. Maarten/St. Martin, Guadeloupe, Antigua, England and France

Caretakers: [ ]

Adelaide has gone to meet:

Husband: Alfred Levons.

Sisters: Varinie Olivacce, Mary Nisbett-Olivacce, Alice Molanus-Olivacce.

Brothers: Vance Olivacce, Cornel (Nel) Olivacce, Markena Olivacce, Harrison Olivacce, Revanie Olivacce, Ange Felix (John) Olivacce.

Children: Patricia Richardson, Joseph Levons and Lucianna Levons.

In Laws: Allan Richardson, Joseph Bartholemew, Maxime Romain, Tanya Levons,

Grandson: Johnathan Olivacce.

Donations

In lieu of  donations, please make checks payable to Aubrey Levons 129 Woodbine st Brooklyn NY 11221  

Thanks for all your help.  

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