Edwardina Leona Haynes was born in Barbados on May 4th, 1922, to Rupert and Ianthe Standard in the Parish of St. Michael. She had one sibling, Dr. Kenneth Standard who migrated to Jamaica in 1962, where he resided until his death.
Edwardina or “Deane” as she is known, attended Westbury Girls and St. Michael Secondary Schools, as well as the House Craft Centre. She was a teacher at Westbury Girls School and a dietician at the School Meals Centre. “Deane” was also a fashion designer and a hat maker. Her hats were sold at both DaCosta and Fogarty stores, now defunct.
Edwardina and her family, were members of The Chapman Street Church of God. She was the leader of the Barbados Church of God National Youth for many years.
In 1955, at the age of 33, Edwardina accepted the Macedonian call, as an evangelist, to spread the Gospel. She was instrumental in assisting with the establishment of the Church of God Movement in St. Vincent. While there, the fearless believer in Christ, “Deane”, was assaulted, arrested, and even had a gun held to her head for preaching the Gospel and leading people to Christ. As a result of the mission, two churches were established in St. Vincent, one at Park Hill, Kingstown and the other at Fair Hall. Reginald Gittens, Hugh Drakes, Adelle Griffith and Eva Trotman were the other members from Barbados who were involved in the establishment of the Churches.
In 1957, Edwardina Standard and Reverend Kenneth Haynes were united together in Holy matrimony. In 1962, they returned to Barbados and over the years, they both ministered as Pastor and First Lady at Chelsea Road Church of God; Ivy Hill Church of God; and Silver Sands Church of God. Edwardina also served as Interim Minister at Welchman Hall Church of God; Belleplaine Church of God; and Boscobelle Church of God, until pastors were chosen for these churches.
There were no biological children from the union. However, throughout the years Mrs. Haynes devoted herself to helping other children from within the community and has been blessed to see many of them excel at their chosen vocation.
Two persons in “Deane’s” life of excellence who have excelled are Jefferson Bannister and Clinton Providence.
Clinton Providence was one of the children who attended Sunday School in St. Vincent. He became a pastor as well as the Dean of the Church of God Bible School [WITC} in Trinidad and Tobago.
Reverend Caesar Augustus Bannister, Chairman of the General Assembly of The Church of God in Barbados was a very influential person in “Deane’s” life
In the fall of 1950, C. A. Bannister asked “Deane” to place her hands on his pregnant wife’s abdomen and to claim the baby. According to “Deane”, she was hesitant and refused, but after hearing him prophesy that the child might be the only person who she might have to rely on in her older days, she obeyed.
The child was a male, and he was named Jefferson Bannister. “Deane” affably claimed him as ‘My boy child”.
Dr. Jefferson Bannister and his wife Cynthia Bannister migrated to New York in 1981. “Deane” and her husband mentored them as commissioned by his father C. A. Bannister. Dr. Jefferson Bannister is Pastor Emeritus of Grace Church of God in Brooklyn New York, sitting under the leadership of his son, Senior Pastor, Carlos Bannister.
“Deane migrated” to New York in 1968, and her husband followed in 1972. They worshipped at Refuge Church of God where Kenneth served as Assistant Pastor, and she, as a Sunday School teacher, President of the Women’s group and usher. “Deane” also worked in many capacities, she was a housekeeper, Director of the Bushwick Salvation Army Senior Centre and a tutor at John Wesley Methodist Church. “Deane” was also a teacher at St. Anthony’s Church School in Bushwick, a special Ed. teacher at PS 377, and taught GED programmes at Medgar Evers College and the Board of Education. She also worked as a hospital nurse.
As “Deane’s” love for God continued, she reached out to many institutions while visiting, spreading the word of God, and volunteering. She became a widow in 2000, which changed her life drastically. “Deane” then transferred from Refuge Church of God to Grace Church of God in 2001 to be closer to ‘her boy child”. However, she continued to reach out to the community through her volunteering.
Over the years, “Deane” has received several accolades for her service. On July16, 2002, she was ordained at the Chapman Street Church of God as Rev. Edwardina Haynes; and in 2005, she and 15 other members made a mission trip to St. Vincent to join with them in their 50th anniversary celebrations, during which she was honoured.
As she has aged, health has limited her, and Edwardina is now a resident of one of the institutions where she volunteered, Downtown Brooklyn Nursing and Rehabilitation, 727 Classon Ave, Brooklyn NY 11238. “Deane” spends her days reading her Bible, Christian books, and doing fill ins.
“Deane” has a niece Aileen Standard-Goldson and her family who reside in Jamaica. She also has many family members from Barbados, England, Canada and the USA, as well as her spiritual family.
Submitted by Mrs. Jean Shim-Haynes
