Olga Lopes-Seale

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Olga Lopes-Seale
Born(1918-12-26)26 December 1918
British Guiana
Died4 February 2011(2011-02-04) (aged 92)
Barbados
Occupationradio broadcaster

Dame Olga Lopes-Seale, (26 December 1918 – 4 February 2011)[1] was a Guyanese-born Barbados-based social and community worker, radio broadcaster and singer.

Life[]

Born in Guyana as Olga Lopes, she was borne to Portuguese Guyanese indentured laborers. She sang and played mandolin and had performed in Guyana and Barbados before becoming a broadcaster for Radio Demerara (where she acquired the nickname "Auntie Olga").[2] In 1960, she started the Radio Needy Children's Fund.[3] She married Barbadian Dick Seale, moving to Barbados in 1963 where she continued her radio and charity work.[4][5]

In Barbados, she worked for the Barbados Rediffusion Services Limited (now Starcom Network) and was active in community work. In the 1940s and 1950s she was known as "the Vera Lynn of the Caribbean".[6] She discovered Red Plastic Bag (a Barbadian Calypsonian) and convinced Rediffusion to provide a studio for recording, launching his career. She was also involved in the creation of the Barbadian national anthem.[7]

Death[]

On 9 December 2010, Lopes-Seale fell at her home and broke her hip, suffering multiple fractures,[8] leaving her unable to continue her charity work for the Needy Children's Fund.

She died on 4 February 2011, aged 92 at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Bridgetown, Barbados.[1]

Honors[]

Lopes-Seale has been honored for her work throughout the Caribbean:

  • 1961 Member of the Order of the British Empire[1]
  • 1997 Inducted into the Caribbean Broadcasting Hall of Fame (in Suriname)[1]
  • 2002 Honored by the government of Guyana as one of 11 Guyanese Barbadians for outstanding contributions[1]
  • 2005 Dame of Order of St. Andrew (Barbados)[9]
  • 2010 Inducted into the Barbados Association of Journalists' Hall of Fame[1]
  • 2010 Theatre Guild of Guyana presented 'O' is for Olga, in tribute to the first female broadcaster in both Guyana and the Caribbean.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g "Olga Lopes-Seale passes away". Stabroek News. 4 February 2011. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  2. ^ "'Auntie Olga' still going strong in Barbados", Guyana Chronicle, 12 March 2001.
  3. ^ "Auntie Olga remembered as stalwart in broadcasting, philanthropy". Stabroek News. 5 February 2011. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  4. ^ Staff (4 February 2011). "Dame Olga Lopes-Seale". Caribbean News Agency (CANA). Archived from the original on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  5. ^ "Barbados Famous Persons: Olga Lopes-Seale". barbados.org. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  6. ^ Olga Lopes-Seale: Our Energetic Humanitarian
  7. ^ "Category:Music Enthusiast". The Olga Lopes Seale Archive. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  8. ^ Auntie Olga in QEH with broken hip
  9. ^ "Honour List 2005" (PDF). Government of Barbados via Archive.org.

External links[]

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