Kingsley A. Blair Sr. (August 28, 1935 – April 25, 2022)

Visitation: Friday, May 6, 2022
Visitation Time: 6:00 – 9:00 PM
Visitation Location: Faith Cathedral Deliverance Center
4425 N. Powers Drive
Orlando, Florida

Service Date: Saturday, May 7, 2022
Service Time: 11:00 AM
Service Location: New Life COGIC
3311 N. Powers Drive
Orlando, Florida

Obituary:

The Anglo-Saxon name Kingsley is British and refers to one who is stately and sophisticated. Kingsley A. Blair Sr. had an intriguing love for the Monarchy, particularly the Queen; you will soon learn why. He was affectionately called “B” by his grandchildren, “King” by his siblings, “Manager” and “Bro. Blair” by others.

During 1935 when Roosevelt was elected President and subsequently signed into law the US Social Security Act, when Amelia Earhart flew solo across the Pacific, and when the US was experiencing the very beginnings of the great Depression and hinging its way towards World War II, Kingsley Adolphus Blair emerged! It was during this era, specifically on June 28th of 1935, that he was born in a small town called Bull Pen, in St. James, Jamaica, to both Mortimer Blair and Geneva Sterling. During these days, children were formally registered months after being born, and so for Kingsley he was registered on August 28, 1935, the date that became his official birthday; this was his first association with the Queen; she also has two birthdays.

In his young years, Kingsley grew up in Somerton, St. James where he worked with his father who was a farmer and a minister. As young as 10 years old, his days were comprised of going to the fields early in the morning and then going to school. These were hard days, but he often stated that he and his siblings were happy because they had great parents who believed strongly in God. God’s provisional hand was evident in their life on a daily basis. He stated in his Memoir, “Life was simple back then. If you had a house, you could actually sleep with the doors open. His parents lived by the mantra that not more than others they deserved but God had given them more.

Kingsley was a part of the Windrush generation; those folks who migrated to England in the
1950s at a time when there was a migration of Caribbean residents to the UK to help fill postwar labour shortages. Upon arriving in England in 1955, Kingsley quickly enlisted in the British Army. He was honored to serve the UK and it was there that he developed his allegiance to the Queen. You see, it is a tradition of very long standing that the Sovereign, and members of the Royal Family be intimately associated with the Armed Forces.

It was in 1960 that he met a young lady by the name of Nestorine Colliard, who was seeking similar opportunities in England. They quickly developed a friendship which eventually led to marriage in March of 1961. Their union produced five lovely children, Lloyd, Nesterine, Kingsley Jr., and twins Joan and Janet. He also inherited stepchildren Michael Swaby, Ivan Armstrong and Errol Wright (all who predeceased him) .

In the 60s Kingsley made a renewed commitment to the Lord and embraced a new church
family at the New Testament Church of God in Bilston, England.

In 1972, Kingsley and Nestorine returned to Jamaica to be near family and planted their roots in Duanvale, Trelawny. It is there they joined the Duanvale New Testament Church of God and subsequently served with his brothers in the evangelistic ‘tent’ ministry; this is where he gained the name, “Manager”.

Over the next few years he would travel back and forth to England and ultimately to the United States to seek better opportunities for his family. He migrated to the United States in 1979 and made Orlando his permanent home where he continued his work in ministry as a leader in the church.

During his life, Kingsley made a lot of sacrifices to ensure the well-being of his family; that
was always his primary focus; whether it was his parents, his siblings, his kids or his
grandkids; this is a role he took seriously and for which he never compromised. He would
reference his early days when he would be up as early as 4am to start working, and would work as late as 10pm earning 5 to 7 shillings per week which he would take home to the family to help them ‘get by’. He attributed his longevity to hard work, laughter and fellowship with family.

Not known to many, Kingsley never had a tertiary education. You see, when he was 13 years old, he was severely wounded at school as he defended one of his siblings, which landed him in the hospital for 21 days. That was the end of his formal education. Being the resourceful person he was, he developed an affinity for reading and quickly realized he would have to hone his own education. He gathered books upon books and learnt how to fully articulate himself in any subject matter. He could easily converse on any subject matter, with anyone regardless of social status. His library has always included classic books such as Pilgrim’s Progress, ‘How To Win Friends and Influence People, and The Richest Man in Babylon. In his later years, he would listen to NPR News on a daily basis. His kids often recommended he should be a contestant on Jeopardy; his general knowledge was vast.

Kingsley was swift to listen and slow to speak! He was also slow to anger! When you think of him, you would think of peace. He was forgiving and accepting even when he may not have felt accepted. He often referenced the John Bunyan Poem, an excerpt which read—”He that is down need fear not fall; He that is low, not pride’ He that is humble ever shall, Have God to be his guide.”

It is said that that Diplomacy is the highest form of hypocrisy, but when it came to Kingsley this was not the case. He was always the ultimate diplomat, and by no means was he a hypocrite. Not only did he speak diplomatically, he would make you feel the same– with every interaction, he would make the other party feel important, heard and acknowledged. Not one day would you see Kingsley and he was not dressed to a tee. He believed in being prepared—first impression was important to him. His military background was evident in this belief. Further, Kingsley was always a stickler for being on time. It was not uncommon for him to show up for an appointment 30 minutes in advance.

Kingsley transcended generations—relationally and practically! He learnt how to embrace and transition with technology trends; he mastered using a computer in his 70s by purchasing the book Computers for Dummies book.; He became proficient in social media and was a Facebook and Instagram member before his kids. This was a shock to other younger family members when they received that first “like” from Uncle Kingsley. This showed that he knew how to embrace change and he used this as a tool to connect and relate with the younger generation. Kingsley had one minor hiccup though, while an online banker, he never believed in using his debit card to make purchases.

While Kingsley had 5 children there are many individuals who say he was more to them than their own father. He did not like to see anyone, particularly young folks in distress. This need to nurture was so deeply rooted in him that as he experienced the effects of dementia in his latter days, he was fixated on making plans to save kids. He determined he needed a Not for profit to give young folks a head start after leaving high school.

His favorite statement was “I am alright”. Nothing outwardly bothered him. His prayer was always for God to give him the strength so he could work his way through life. He expressed that God had never failed him, ‘But God…”. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Kingsley is survived by his beloved children: Lloyd (Marleen) Blair, Nesterine Blair, Kingsley (Suzette) Blair, Jr., Joan (Richard) Blair-Kerr, Janet (Vanier) Blair-Hastings, Joyce Cotterrel; 15 siblings; 6 grandchildren; 1 great grandchild; and a host of other relatives and numerous friends.

Visitation will be held on Friday, May 6, 2022 from 6 PM – 9 PM at Faith Cathedral Deliverance Center, 4425 N. Powers Drive, Orlando. A service of Celebration will be held on Saturday, May 7, 2022, 11:00 AM at New Life COGIC, 3311 N. Powers Drive, Orlando with Bishop Dr. Herro V. Blair, officiating. Interment: Woodlawn Memorial Park, Orlando.