About Doreen Clemetson

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, for as long as you can.”  - John Wesley

When Doreen Clemetson, affectionately known as "Miss Clem" died in 2019, her sudden loss was deeply felt by all who knew and loved her. Doreen spent her entire life tirelessly serving others, quietly and effectively touching countless lives without bringing attention to herself. On the day she died, Doreen was helping care for a home-bound individual who had recently suffered a stroke, literally serving others to the very end.

Doreen was born in St. Andrew, Jamaica on September 15th, 1933, and was John and Alice Clemetson’s fourth of five daughters. Doreen spent her childhood between St. Mary and St. Thomas and according to her sisters, she was caring and responsible from the start, happily helping her mother and always watching over her younger sister. Doreen thoroughly enjoyed school and attended Blake Preparatory School and St. Andrew High School for Girls.

After graduating from St. Andrew High School, Doreen worked as a teaching assistant at Westbrook Preparatory School where she discovered her gift and love for teaching. After two years at Westbrook, Doreen left for England to pursue her teaching diploma. After successfully completing her diploma, Doreen was offered a teaching position in England and stayed and taught there for two years. Upon her return to Jamaica in 1959, she was invited by Lillian Gentles to teach at Hopefield Prep, a new preparatory school in Kingston.

Doreen’s teaching and leadership skills were immediately evident at Hopefield, and she inspired both fellow teachers and students to strive for excellence. Doreen was known and respected for her caring yet no-nonsense teaching style and was a stickler for things being done the right way, often repeating her now famous phrase, "That's not the way we do things.” Doreen inspired her students to achieve their very best, many excelling academically and earning top marks. She lovingly instilled the importance of hard work, tenacity, and discipline, lifelong lessons that have stayed with her students throughout their lives.  

Doreen’s dedication and ability to help her students achieve their full potential was undeniable and she quickly became one of the top teachers at Hopefield, and within six years became the school’s vice principal, and two years later in 1970, the principal. As principal, Doreen’s dedication to excellence and student success continued, and with her team, she transformed Hopefield Prep into one of the island’s top prep schools, consistently boasting top-performing students for the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) year after year and the top-performing girl in the inaugural sitting of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) placement examination in 2019.

Doreen’s desire to serve went beyond Hopfield, and she was a beloved and valued Guider for over 50 years. Doreen fell in love with Guiding while serving as Hopefield’s Brownie leader and dedicated her life to helping girls and young women achieve their full potential. From camping in New Castle to attending Worldwide Jamborees, Doreen led by example, inspiring those around her to do their very best. Doreen served in every capacity of Guiding, serving as Unit Leader, Traveling Trainer, Commissioner, Chief Commissioner, and President of the Association. She was a member of the Executive Board, a member of The Friends of Our Cabaña in Mexico, and a Life member of the Association. Doreen’s dedicated service and leadership impacted the lives of countless young women and her contribution to Guiding in Jamaica is immeasurable.

Doreen's faith was also central to her life. She began attending Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church in Half-Way-Tree when she attended St. Andrew High School and served as a Sunday school teacher. Upon returning to Jamaica following her studies in England, she resumed her work with the Sunday school and served as the coordinator for many years. Doreen served in countless church ministries including weekly visits to shut-ins, transporting parishioners to and from church, serving the poor, organizing parish fundraisers, decorating the church, serving as the Legion of Mary president, and quietly supporting parishioners in need. Doreen was a vital member of Holy Cross Parish, and her ministry and service to others mirrored the words of Saint Francis of Assis, “Preach the Gospel always and when necessary, use words.”

Throughout her life Doreen, “Miss Clem”, touched so many lives, inspiring thousands of Jamaica’s youth to achieve excellence in education and community service and reach their full potential. Doreen embodied the values of service, kindness, humility, generosity, trustworthiness, honesty, and commitment to excellence and dedicated her entire life to the service of others; she did all that she could, for as many as she could, for as long as she could, and made more of a difference than she ever could have imagined. “Miss Clem” will never be forgotten, and her legacy of service will live on forever.

https://www.forevermissed.com/doreen-veronica-clemetson/about

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