Huldah L Winspeare

Reverend Huldah L. Winspeare was born to the late Rev. and Mrs. James Winspeare on the island of Montserrat in the West Indies. She departed this life on Wednesday September 30, 2020. Pastor Huldah grew up in Antigua and Barbuda with her parents, who ministered as pastors of the Joy & Gladness Pentecostal Church, and her six siblings: Veronica, Hodiah, Paul, Clifton, Dale, and Shelton. In her early years, Pastor Huldah finished her high school education at a private school in Antigua & Barbuda and obtained a college certificate in correspondence. Following that education, she opened up her own private school, which was very successful. Everyone knew her as “Teacher” Huldah at that time, but she eventually became lovingly known at “Teach” by all her family and friends. Several of her students went on to do great things because of her guidance. On the island of Barbuda she was also one of the top seamstresses. She could sew anything, and people came from near and far just to have her sew clothes for them. She was skilled with making handcrafted things and she was musically inclined, playing the guitar and teaching her siblings how to play the guitar as well. Teach was also an important part of the Joy & Gladness ministry, working alongside her father as his right-hand. She led the women’s ministries and was also a youth leader and Sunday school superintendent. Given these early experiences, it was not surprising that she eventually ended up being Pastor of Joy & Gladness Pentecostal Church, here in Massachusetts. Before coming to the United States, Teach wanted to move to London but immigrated to the U.S. in 1968 for a work opportunity which allowed her to also bring her family over. She continued her religious service at Beulah Pilgrim Holiness Church, where she continued teaching in the Sunday school. In the 1980s, after Rev. James Winspeare opened Joy & Gladness in Dorchester, MA, Teach was ordained shortly thereafter and served as the assistant pastor until Rev. Winspeare became overseer and asked her to be the new pastor of the church in the late 1990s. As in Barbuda, Teach was very instrumental in running Joy & Gladness along with her father. As before, she served in many different roles including the women's ministries, Sunday school leader, choir director, and driver of the church van that picked people up for service. She was an all-arounder and pastored the church until her departure from life. In addition to pastoring at Joy & Gladness, Teach also worked for the State of Massachusetts. While working for the state she went back to school, and received her bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Boston State College. She continued working for the State as a computer programmer after obtaining her degree. Teach would work full-time during the day while taking a full course load of classes at night. It was impressive to say the least. It wasn’t something that just anyone could do, but Teach did it and excelled. She worked with the State until she retired in 2006, but she continued helping her former coworkers from home as a consultant for another 10 years. During this time, she lived in Dorchester, close to her family and the church, and dedicated herself to being of service to others for the rest of her life. Teach was a kind, loving, and caring person to family, friends and even those she did not know. She was always there and ready to help and give to others. She was loved and highly respected by her church members and a source of comfort and strength in their time of need. Teach was the matriarch of our family; she had servant’s heart 100% of her life. She did not have children of her own but was a second mother to many, including her siblings—from the oldest to the youngest—and her nieces and nephews. She helped her parents raise the family. And she dutifully and happily took care of her parents until they passed. We will never forget her kindness and how she was there for everyone. She was a daughter, a sister, an aunt, and a friend; a Pastor, a role model, and an inspiration. She was one in a million and will be greatly missed. She is survived by three siblings, her sister Hodiah Winspeare-Hassol, and two brothers Dale and Shelton Winspeare; one brother-in-law, Alex Hassol; and one sister-in-law, Roslyn Winspeare; twenty nieces and nephews, several great and great-great nieces and nephews, and a host of other relatives and friends too numerous to mention. Our beloved Teach will never be forgotten, and we can all have some peace knowing she is with God. She loved the Lord with all her heart and she served Him with all of her mind and soul. Her whole life was dedicated to the Lord. With that, we can join with the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy chapter 4, verses 7 and 8 and say: “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”