Legacy of Brian St. Juste celebrated at funeral service

Tears flowed freely, but there was laughter too, as world-renowned saxophonist Dean Fraser belted out Ave Maria through the Sts Peter and Paul Church in St Andrew at the funeral of renowned filmmaker and production guru Brian St. Juste on Thursday.

There was high commendation for the man who touched the professional lives of many, from production interns to heads of companies.

His loved ones were joined by scores of friends, Entertainment Minister Olivia Grange, Opposition Leader Mark Golding, and members of the media and production fraternity at the thanksgiving.

Tributes went down memory lane, saluting his various high-class productions, including his role in Jamaica’s democratic process and his work producing the televised debates by the Jamaica Debates Commission since 2017.

He also served as a consultant to the National Democratic Institute and the US Commission on Presidential Debates, as well as lead producer for local events such as the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships, the Miss Jamaica World Pageant and scores of other local sporting events.

His son, Dimitri, noted the many words of comfort and tributes he had received about his father and recalled how, when he faced his own struggles as an adult in a new country, it was his father who gave him the words he needed. He invited mourners to take those words to heart.

“Although daddy wrote these words to me specifically, I invite you to look beyond my circumstances and think about your own. Think about the challenges you've faced, the obstacles you've overcome or perhaps something you're struggling with right now. And as you listen, imagine these words coming from daddy to you. Because having heard so many of your stories over the past few weeks, I believe this is precisely the encouragement he would have offered to any one of us.”

Chief Executive Officer of Phase 3 Productions Delano Forbes saluted the legacy left by their longtime partner and noted that St. Juste was unselfish, even when he himself was not doing well physically.

“Our friendship wasn't just about work. Brian, himself, shared a love for cooking. We'd often exchange recipes, compare what we were preparing for the weekend. When we eventually learned what Brian was going through, we were genuinely shocked. I thought about all the times we'd gone to Brian with our problems, sometimes the most trivial things. And here he was, always willing to listen and to offer advice to help. Here was a man who needed care and support himself, yet he was always finding the strength to care for everyone else. And that was Brian.”

St. Juste, the son of Trinidadian broadcasting pioneer Franklyn St. Juste and the brother of broadcaster François St. Juste, who both predeceased him, passed away on October 2 at age 68.

He is survived by his widow, Sharon, and children Dimitri and Brianne.

- Karen Madden

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