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News ReleaseJACOB WARREN, OWNER OF A ‘DAZZLING SMILE,’
DIES ON PITCAIRNANGWIN, CALIF., USA ------ Jacob Ralph (Chippie) Warren,
who was born on Pitcairn Island on June 4, 1920, and was known by all on the island
for his dazzling smile and hard work, has died. He was awarded the British
Order of Empire medal in 1991 by Pitcairn's Governor David Moss in recognition
of his outstanding service to the Pitcairn people. Mr. Warrens death came
on the last day of January 2007, as the result of a fall on Pitcairn's main road
not far from the island home he shared with his wife, Mary Mavis Warren, whom
he married on September 24, 1956; and his daughter, Meralda Warren. Jacobs
parents were Christopher Warren and Mary Emily Christian. He grew up on Pitcairn,
and in the 1940s and 50s worked in New Zealand as a mattress maker and carpenter.
He had to leave Pitcairn again in the 1970s as the result of an accident, and
in the year he was away recuperating he again worked as a carpenter in Wellington,
New Zealand. It was through his carpentry work that he became known to friends
as Chippie. Jacob survived a heart bypass operation in 1996, and then continued
his vigorous life on Pitcairn. He helped build the islands first jetty, became
the forester for Pitcairn in 1964 and led in reforestation of various parts of
the island. He built and repaired a number of Pitcairns famed wooden longboats,
and always carried his tools and material to mend the boats and build things on
the island when the Pitcairners would voyage to Oeno Island for their annual holiday
there. In addition to his many other good works on Pitcairn, Jacob was a
deacon for many years in the Pitcairn Island Seventh-day Adventist Church. His
carpentry skills helped keep the church building in repair, and his love of nature
found him tending the churchs flower garden with care. Jacob was always
a regular in showing up for Pitcairns required Public Work program, of which participation
by all able-bodied men is required, this continuing up until last year when his
old knees started not to hold him up, as one Pitcairner said. Work was something
Chippie was not afraid of, said his daughter. Dad was more of a giver than a receiver,
and he earned great respect from young and old in this community. He will be sorely
missed. ### Pitcairn Islands Study Center, 1 Angwin
Ave., Angwin, CA, USA. Herbert Ford, 707-965-6625, 707-965-2047, Fax: 707-965-6504,
Email: hford@puc.edu, Website: http://library.puc.edu/pitcairn |
