Obituary of Royston Dowden

Royston Dowden, lovingly known as Patrick or “Uncle Patrick”, was born September 28, 1937 in a small village in Leonora, West Coast Demerara, Guyana South America. His father’s name was Frederick Dowden and his mother was Valerie Bascum Dowden. When he was 10 years old he suffered the loss of his dear mother. He had four older brothers: Claude, Burchill, Ralph and Winston. He also had two younger sisters Minerva and Daphne.

Royston was raised up in Den Amstel, Guyana. It was there he worked as a teacher from the age of 19. Years later he married his childhood friend, Claudette Joseph on October 1, 1966. Some of Claudette’s sisters remember being taught by Royston in school. Four years later, with his young children, he moved to New York City in October 1970 to join his wife, Claudette, who had arrived in New York a short time earlier. At first he worked at odd jobs he found to care for his growing family. Then he worked 6 years for Chase Manhattan Bank and later over 20 years with the Metropolitan Transit Authority until retirement in 2002.

Royston was a loving father who was present and involved in vacations and many good times with his family. Laughter was an integral part of growing up in the Dowden family. Unfortunately not all those times were without challenge. Sadly, their eldest daughter Glynnis succumbed to death due to a bout with cancer when she was still in her teens. This did not stop Royston from supporting his wife Claudette in continuing to provide Bible based instruction to their children as they grew into adulthood. In fact, Royston once shared with his family that his friends felt he was an expert in child rearing because of how his children progressed.

It was seeing how Bible instruction played a role in his family development that encouraged him to start studying the Bible himself and on June 6, 1997 he made the decision to get baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Since then he has enjoyed engaging in various aspects of reaching out to others sharing the Bible’s message to those he would meet including writing letters, engaging in door to door preaching and other various aspects of public witnessing.

Among the things Royston enjoyed doing was working in his garden. He also loved playing dominoes and listening to a variety of music from his music collection.

He is survived by his dear wife Claudette Dowden and his children, Debra Cumberbatch, Royston Dowden Jr and his wife Jacqueline, Troy Dowden and his wife Audrey and his daughter Audra Dowden. He is survived by his only living sibling, Daphne Norville and her three children. Among his surviving grandchildren are Chaka, Afiya, Tiv, Tor and Tau Cumberbatch and Royanne, Nathan and Jude Dowden. He is also survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews.