Charles Jr (left), Christopher Gordon (centre) and Kathryn Denbow (right) read a tribute to their father at the funeral service for the life of Professor Charles Egerton Denbow at the University of the West Indies Chapel yesterday. - Winston Sill / Freelance Photographer

If the measure of a great man is that his family, friends and colleagues all say the same things about his life, then Professor Charles Egerton Denbow must have lived an exceptional life.

"Brilliant, hardworking, hopelessly in love with cricket" and "remarkably humble" were the consistently recurring comments of mourners gathered from across the Caribbean at the University Chapel to say farewell to one of the region's finest minds yesterday.

Professor Denbow was one of the most prominent medical professionals in the Caribbean. He came to Jamaica from Guyana in 1965 as a student of the University of the West Indies, but at the time of his death he was a professor at that institution. Denbow called Jamaica home and leaves behind three children, Kathryn, Charles Jr and Christopher Gordon.

The accolades and positions attained by Denbow throughout his illustrious career are too extensive to mention. He was distinguished in the field of clinical cardiology. He was a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London, a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.

In 2008, Denbow was honoured by the Government for his outstanding contributions to the field of medicine. He was awarded the Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander.

When the time came, however, for the children of the great physician to speak, it was of his humility and not his medals that they spoke.

"He never preached, he never lectured it to us, but he lived it," Charles Jr said.

"As children with our father day in day out, we were not only endlessly amazed by his achievements, but even more astonished by the emphasis he placed on the application of his knowledge to help others," they shared.

The Reverend Stephen Jennings, president of the Jamaica Baptist Union and pastor of Mona Baptist Church, where Denbow fellowshipped, shared with those gathered of Denbow's spiritual journey.

"I saw Charles Denbow move from a distant enquirer to an intimate disciple of Jesus Christ," Jennings said.

andrew.wildes@gleanerjm.com