He’ll be remembered for serving T&T presidents over several decades—starting from the time of Ellis Clarke—and probably seeing more world leaders up close than the average citizen would have had the opportunity to.
Choy Richardson, who had been the butler at President’s House for decades, died on Monday night of a reported heart attack. He was in his late 50s. He lived at east Trinidad, near Arima, sources added.
Dr Jean Ramjohn-Richards, wife of former president George Maxwell Ricards, said she was saddened by his death. Both she and her daughter Maxine said Richardson had been a butler at President’s House since the days of late president Ellis Clarke. He had also worked during the tenure of former head of State Noor Hassanali and Arthur NR Robinson, as well as serving during her husband’s term.
Ramjohn-Richards recalled learning that Richardson had come to President’s House as a teenager and trained to become a butler.
“I always asked him, ‘Choy, why don’t you do some other course or so, and he’d say, no he wanted to be a butler. And he was a very good butler. Very hard-working and efficient. So much so that people used to call him to do private work also. He was a very nice, amiable person,” she added.
“I understand he was on the job up to Monday night and then we heard he’d died suddenly—it is very sad. I was very shocked. Our deepest condolences go out to his wife and family, and his friends. We all remember him very fondly.”
Maxine Richards added, “He introduced me to mint frappes as I recall.
“My best memory of him is, he was always attentive to guests to whom he was always very courteous. He was also very attentive to the family.
“I remember he was always in a jacket. He’d have seen many leaders who came to President’s House as guests— Queen Elizabeth II who was here for the 2009 Commonwealth Heads of Government conference and many others who came to CHOGM and other events in T&T where receptions were held at President’s House.
“Unlike other butlers, he didn’t come from the Defence Force. From what I learned, he’d just applied for the job and got it. He’ll be missed. We all send condolences to his family and friends.”
Former chief of protocol at President’s House, Lenore Dorset, said, “I remember him as a very respectful person, very dedicated to his job, a team player and a very discreet and jovial person. He knew his job and served well.”
Efforts to contact his wife were unsuccessful as she was not at work. President’s House officials said they couldn’t give out information on him.