April 2nd 1970 – March 15th 2024

On the second day of April in 1970, in San Fernando, Trinidad & Tobago, a sweet-tempered baby girl entered the lives of Aldwyn Fitz-Allan Bullard and Arline Bernadette Andrews-Bullard as their firstborn child. She was named Arlene-Ann Denielle, though she would be called just Arlene by both her parents and siblings for most of her life.

By the age of three, Arlene was enrolled in nursery school and from thence proceeded to the Point Fortin Church School, San Fernando SDA Primary School, and Southern Academy of SDA, all located in the southern part of the island of Trinidad.  During those growing-up years, Arlene participated in many school and church-based activities, including Pathfinders, Christmas plays, church and school choirs, drama clubs and Carnival camps.

As the firstborn, Arlene was often tasked with the responsibilities of caring for her younger siblings when her parents were not at home. Very often this would involve preparing food or beverages and, as a result, she developed a knack for working in the kitchen.  This ultimately guided her into the path for further studies in Culinary Arts and Food and Beverage Management at the Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute (TTHTI) and ultimately a Bachelor of Science degree in Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of the Southern Caribbean.

During her time studying at university, Arlene-Ann worked in the cafeteria, where she made many lifelong friends some of whom, like she did, later joined the employ of the institution. Arlene-Ann’s career saw her working in several food establishments over the years, including VegOut on the campus of the UWI and the Papa John’s Pizza Franchise. She worked at her alma mater, USC, for almost a decade and within the last two years of her life, was in the employ of the Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago.

Apart from cooking, Arlene-Ann had varied creative hobbies including singing, gardening, soap-making, centerpiece and wreath creation and innovating multiplicities of haircare concoctions.

One of Arlene-Ann’s greatest gifts was her compassion and care for others.  As a result, she “adopted” many children and young people over the years, turning her life’s work in meal preparation into a ministry.

Today she rests from her labors of love, awaiting the call of the life-giver on Resurrection Day.