Olga Lopes-Seale
Encyclopedia
Dame Olga Lopes-Seale, DA, GCM
, MBE
, BSS
(December 26, 1918 – February 4, 2011) was a Guyanese
-born Barbados
-based social and community worker
, radio broadcaster and singer.
as Olga Lopes she worked as a broadcaster for Radio Demerara
(where she acquired the nickname "Auntie Olga") before migrating to Barbados with her Barbadian husband, Dick Seale.
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".
In 2005, she was made a 2005 Dame of St. Andrew.
On December 9, 2010, she fell at her home and broke her hip, suffering multiple fractures, leaving her unable to continue her charity work for the Needy Children's Fund.
in Bridgetown
, Barbados.
Order of Barbados
The Order of Barbados is part of the National honours system awarded by the government of Barbados, and presented by the Viceroy, which is the Governor-General of Barbados. It comprises four classes, two of which are awarded in two grades. It was instituted under Royal letters patent of Queen...
, MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, BSS
Order of Barbados
The Order of Barbados is part of the National honours system awarded by the government of Barbados, and presented by the Viceroy, which is the Governor-General of Barbados. It comprises four classes, two of which are awarded in two grades. It was instituted under Royal letters patent of Queen...
(December 26, 1918 – February 4, 2011) was a Guyanese
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
-born Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
-based social and community worker
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
, radio broadcaster and singer.
Life
Born in GuyanaGuyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
as Olga Lopes she worked as a broadcaster for Radio Demerara
Radio Demerara
Radio Demerara is a Radio Station in Guyana. It is also the oldest in that country as well. The announcers included Olga Lopes Seale. Its former name was station ZFY in 1938. It adopted its present name in 1951....
(where she acquired the nickname "Auntie Olga") before migrating to Barbados with her Barbadian husband, Dick Seale.
In Barbados, she worked for the Barbados Rediffusion Services Limited (now Starcom Network
Starcom Network
Starcom Network began its life as Radio Distribution Limited, with the introduction of the first broadcast station then located at Wildey, St. Michael in 1935. At that time, the company transmitted its broadcast signal using a cable network system, known as subscription radio...
) and was active in community work. In the 1940s and 1950s she was known as "the Vera Lynn
Vera Lynn
Dame Vera Lynn, DBE is an English singer-songwriter and actress whose musical recordings and performances were enormously popular during World War II. During the war she toured Egypt, India and Burma, giving outdoor concerts for the troops...
of the Caribbean".
In 2005, she was made a 2005 Dame of St. Andrew.
On December 9, 2010, she fell at her home and broke her hip, suffering multiple fractures, leaving her unable to continue her charity work for the Needy Children's Fund.
Death
Lopes-Seale died on February 4, 2011, aged 92 at the Queen Elizabeth HospitalQueen Elizabeth Hospital, Bridgetown
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital is located in Barbados' capital city Bridgetown, which is located in the parish of Saint Michael. The hospital is the main General Hospital for the southern part of the island....
in Bridgetown
Bridgetown
The city of Bridgetown , metropolitan pop 96,578 , is the capital and largest city of the nation of Barbados. Formerly, the Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the parish of Saint Michael...
, Barbados.