Lucilda Mae Cockburn Hutchinson was born on January 21, 1950 at the Princess Margaret Hospital in Morant Bay, St. Thomas, Jamaica, to Lucille Mae Young Cockburn and Oscar George Cockburn. Her mother died a few hours after she gave birth. She was the only child of that union. Her father remarried a few years later to Daphne Pettigrew Cockburn, and that union produced seven younger siblings, Barbara, Dorrett, Fay, Oscar, Baron, Yvonne, and Dianne.

Lucilda met and married William Hutchinson and the union produced four boys, Weston (O’Kello), Ryan, Gino, and Shane. Her eldest son Kello, predeceased her 1992. She also has two lovely grandchildren, Weston and Isla


Lucilda was brought up by her grandmother, Matilda (Mammy |Ms. Mattie) Tulloch-Daley. While living with her grandmother, she attended the Seaforth Primary School, from which she graduated in July of 1965, shortly after which, she went to live with her Father, his wife, Daphne Cockburn, and her siblings. She gained a placement at the Carron Hall Vocational Boarding School for Girls, in the Parish of St. Mary, later that year, where she excelled at the school curriculum. While there she learned the art of tatting which she did beautifully, a skill she taught to her siblings. Upon graduation from Carron Hall, she worked for a year as a pre-trained teacher at the Seaforth Primary School. Lucilda then pursued higher educational learning at the Shortwood Teacher's College in Kingston, Jamaica, and did her Internship at the Yallahs Primary School in St. Thomas.

She graduated from the Shortwood Teachers' College in 1972 then proceeded to teach at the Seaforth Primary School, that same year, as a trained teacher. During her tenure at the Seaforth Primary school, which spanned fourteen (14) years, she was promoted to Senior Teacher and taught many students. She was also the head of the 4H (Head, Heart, Hands & Health) Club, which is a club that is dedicated to helping children complete hands-on projects in areas like health, science, agriculture and citizenship, in a positive environment where they receive guidance from adult mentors, and are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles. She entered club members in public speaking competitions, culinary skills competitions, and exposed many them to the annual Denbigh Agricultural Show.

In August of 1972 she became a member of the Church of God Seventh-Day in Seaforth, St. Thomas, where she was baptized by her father, Pastor Cockburn. Lucilda was a dedicated member, and committed herself to the work of God. She was also a part of the Faithful Youth Challengers (FYCers), and actively participated in community outreach activities such as visits to the children’s ward of the Princess Margaret Hospital, and the Morant Bay Infirmary - an institution that provided shelter for the aged and destitute. She was also a member of the Church Choir. Her voice could be heard distinctively as she sang the lead part in It is Not an Easy Road We are Traveling to Heaven. She was also a member of the Brooklyn Community Church of God 7th Day (BCC), where she sang in the choir for many years.

In 1986 she migrated to the United States of America where she lived in Florida for a while, then moved to New York. While living in New York she continued in the teaching profession. She earned her Bachelor's Degree from Medgar Evers College in 1995, and her Master’s Degree from Adelphi University in 1999. She worked as an Assistant Teacher at the Island Academy Alternative High School, Riker’s Island from 1990 to 1996. She then taught at Junior High School 258 in Brooklyn, New York form 1996-1997. She then moved on to Rosewood High School, another alternative high school in the New York Prison system on Riker’s Island, where she taught from 1997 until her retirement in 2012.

During her retirement, she fulfilled her passion for travel and missions. She traveled to England and Canada numerous times, and traveled with her church family to Israel, Egypt, Greece, Turkey, Rome, and Nigeria, where she attended the 6,000 strong 5-day convention for leaders and delegates from the 13 African nations in which the church is active. She also worked actively in the Haiti missions where the church operates an orphanage, making multiple trips there.

Burnice loved her family, and was always present at family events. She was very supportive of friends and family alike, and was enthusiastic to see and celebrate the success of others. Her homes were always open to many friends and family, both in Jamaica and here in the United States. Her philanthropic actions extended to friends, family, church family, and the school which she taught at in Jamaica for many years. A beautiful lady, a beautiful heart, and a beautiful soul. Many loved her, and she will be dearly missed. She is survived by her spouse, sons, step-daughters (Andrea & Rose), daughter-in-law (Ashia), grandchildren, brothers, sisters, step-mother, uncles, aunts, cousins, church family, and many relatives. May her soul rest in eternal peace.

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