By Leiselle Maraj Wednesday, January 20 2010

Relief funds for Haiti were collected yesterday during the funeral of Christine Joseph, a 41-year-old Carenage woman who was stabbed to death at her home last Wednesday.

Residents turned out in their numbers to celebrate Joseph’s life at the St Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, Constabulary Street, Carenage. The woman was found dead outside of her home on Upper Haig Street at about 6 am last week. Homicide detectives believe she was a victim of robbery as her house had been ransacked.

“She was always smiling, she always wanted to make everyone happy and she loved children. That’s probably why she did not have any of her own because she had so much love to share with them,” Sherbert McKie, a relative, said in his eulogy.

Joseph was the chief organiser, advertiser, promoter and financier of the family. “Her death has put a dent in the family because of this. Up to Boxing Day she hosted our entire family, who have not seen each other in more than three years, at the very house in which she was murdered,” McKie said.

Although church officials suggested the family donate the collection to the Haiti relief efforts, McKie said Joseph would not have wanted it any other way. “We had been thinking about doing this and Christine (Joseph) would have definitely wanted that. She would always give, giving was her life.”

He said the family felt comforted by the professionalism of the homicide investigators on the case. Officers were present at the funeral and informed the family they were close to solving the murder. After the service, Joseph’s body was cremated at St James Crematorium.