‘A life of faith, service and courage’: Loved ones remember Romona Farquharson-Seymour

Laughter mingled with tears at Salem Union Baptist Church as family, friends, and fellow attorneys gathered to bid their final goodbyes to Romona Farquharson-Seymour, a woman remembered as both a fierce advocate and a deeply compassionate individual.

As mourners slowly passed her coffin, some paused, shaking their heads in disbelief, still struggling to accept the sudden loss of a woman whose presence once filled rooms with energy and confidence.

Farquharson-Seymour’s life was deeply rooted in the church where her funeral was held. Reared at Salem Union Baptist, she later served as attorney for the church and the Bahamas Baptist Union, using her legal training in service to her faith and community.

Senior Minister Cedric Farquharson told mourners that Farquharson-Seymour used her talents to serve both the nation and the kingdom of God, leaving a legacy of service far beyond the courtroom.

Near the front of the sanctuary, tears streamed down the face of her husband, Calvin Seymour, as friends and colleagues stood to offer tributes. Nearby, the couple’s two young daughters sat quietly, a tender reminder of the life and family she leaves behind.

Farquharson-Seymour was also an executive member of the Free National Movement, where she was known as a formidable legal mind. Party leader Michael Pintard recalled the shock that rippled through the organisation upon hearing of her unexpected death.

He described her as an attorney with “formidable skill and a sharp mind,” someone unafraid to challenge conventional thinking.

“She asked the hard questions, challenged the comfortable thinking,” Pintard said. “She spoke with clarity when others preferred caution. She didn’t sugarcoat very much. She didn’t soften the truth when circumstances required firmness.”

“She mattered to our organisation, and she mattered in the hard conversations, whether you agreed with her or not.”

For those who knew her best, however, it was Farquharson-Seymour’s warmth that defined her just as much as her intellect.

Her close friend Cathleen Hassan said she loved Romona like a sister.

Hassan recalled how the busy attorney balanced her demanding legal career with motherhood, often raising her children while working from her office.

“She was a full-time mother and a full-time lawyer,” Hassan said.

Romona’s presence, she added, had a way of transforming every room she entered.

“She brought an effervescent energy with her,” Hassan said, prompting laughter from the congregation as she fondly remembered Romona “sashaying in on her very high and sometimes inappropriate shoes.”

Yet behind the humour, Romona was deeply committed to helping others. Hassan said Farquharson-Seymour often offered legal assistance to those who could not afford it.

“She was warm-hearted and helped anyone she came into contact with,” she said. “She was ferocious, and she had a unique way of looking at issues.”

Hassan remembered a woman constantly striving to grow. “Always open to learning,” she said softly. “Always open to being better than she was.”