I met Dr. Tony Wellington in 1984 in Jamaica as he was a Visiting Lecturer from the University of Swansea and I was one of his final year Chemistry undergraduate students at the Mona campus of The University of the West Indies (UWI). I was fortunate to have met him before he had commenced teaching and was struck by his warmth and friendliness. He readily shared handouts on the topic he would be teaching – the physical chemistry of biological systems. I was somewhat apprehensive as I dreaded the great deal of memorization that I associated with Biology, my least favourite Science subject.
I had nothing to fear. Tony turned out to be an outstanding lecturer who brought the subject alive far beyond my expectations and I was enthralled by the information that he so vividly conveyed, some of which I still recall, without effort, 37 years later. I don’t recall making any additional notes to complement those from his handouts or having to revise much after each lecture. My best grade in Chemistry came from his course and it was a joy and privilege to have been one of his students and for our paths to have overlapped, albeit briefly.
I will never forget his kindness, especially when he offered to ask his wife to obtain an LP for me in the UK when she came over to join him in Jamaica. This Dire Straits album “Love Over Gold” is still in pristine condition in my record collection at home. I regret that I never kept in touch with Tony after he left Jamaica, probably in 1985, but he has crossed my mind on occasion over the years. I will never forget his inspirational quality as a lecturer, his decency and most of all, his kindness. I am sure that he was a much loved husband, father, grandfather and friend, who will be dearly missed by all who had the good fortune to know him. I offer my heartfelt condolences to his family.
Professor Sean McDowell
The University of the West Indies,
Cave Hill Campus, Barbados
December 28, 2021
Sean McDowell
29/12/2021
