The family of Erica “Ricky” Antoinette Benjamin-Donovan announces her passing on Monday, March 4.
Erica was a native of St. Thomas and a resident of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Her early education began at the Edith William School, the former James Madison School, and she also attended the St. Peter and Paul Catholic School and Charlotte Amalie High School. She completed her secondary education at Laurinburg in North Carolina and later graduated with a degree from Queens Borough Community College in New York. She was a member of the Helen Sebastian’s Majorette group and the Charlotte Amalie St. Thomas Lions Club. Her career employment included West Indian Company Limited (WICO), St. Peter and Paul High School, and the Department of Education- Business Office.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Sonia Herbertl; father, Eric Benjamin; and grandparents: Rosa and Hugo Herbert.
She is survived by her husband, Clifton “Dono” Donovan; children: Allison Henry Jr., Cahile, Cahmal, Cahliyah and Cahlaijah Donovan; stepson, Cordell Donovan; adopted daughters: Lorena Stevens-Tollison and Lajhuan Sprauve; grandchildren: Armani Dossou, Kamari Donovan, Cai Donovan and Ava Henry; adopted grandchildren: Lamarr Lanclos, Loronda and T’Arah Hughes, and Jakylon Hopkins; daughter-in-law, T’Keyah Henry; aunts: Rita, Sheila, Nelsa, Denise and Julie Benjamin; uncles: Joel, Lionel, Errol Benjamin and John Degout; and adopted mothers: Gracia Stevens, Carmen Matthew, Sheila Manners and Marina Stout.
She is also survived by adopted nieces and nephews: Naqan, Naquasha and Nnaliyah Lewis, Abigail Scatliffe, Mashama, and Ashaki and Latrae Powell; mother-in-law, Keturah Donovan-Smith; sisters-in-law: Joyce Walker, Janice Donovan, Judith Turnbull, Elaine Lynch and Edris Todman; brothers-in-law: Ralph and Clement Donovan; adopted brothers: Albert “Pops” Stevens, David “Davie” Stout, Eric Creque and Elton George; best friend and adopted sisters: Alexandrine “Claudine” Miller, Augusta Mathurin, Sharon George and Avril Hodge-Rawlins; and special friends: Vivian Nedd, Brunilda Castro, Beverly Jenning, Raymond “Ray” Frett, Donna Phillip, Clinton Farrington and Frankie St. John.
Other survivors include special cousins: Lorna and Lornette Stevens, Stacy Creque, Byron “Cunchie” George, Joy Wheatley, Diana Stevens, Merander Stevens, Deshaun Smith, Elton George, Shanika and Shauna George, Norma Creque, Berton Creque, John and Yazmine Degout, Cheryl Harrigan, Susan George, Kim Brown, Raymond Chesterfield, Andrea Smith, Kamilah Donadelle, Stephanie Moore, Euranice Chesterfield, Lesa Rhymer, Richard Creque, Rosie and Rose Jones, Judie Gomez, and Antoinette “Cherie” Gomez; as well as the Rhymer, Creque, Harrigan, Sprauve, and Stevens families of Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands, and other relatives and friends too numerous to mention, residing in St. Thomas, Virgin Gorda, Tortola, and Florida.
The Home Going funeral service for the late Erica Benjamin-Donovan will be held at Christchurch Methodist, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas on Saturday, April 6. Pre-service and viewing will be at 10 a.m. and service at 11 a.m. Interment will follow in the Western Cemetery, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Expressions of condolences may be made online at www.forevermissed.com/erica-antoinette-donovan.com
Professional services are entrusted to the Turnbull Funeral Home and Crematory Services, Crown Bay, St. Thomas, U. S. Virgin Islands.
