Copyright caymancompass
Philanthropist, conservationist and author Brigitte Kassa, who was Little Cayman’s oldest resident, has passed away at the age of 87. Kassa died peacefully at her home on Little Cayman, on Saturday, 25 Oct., following a short illness. Prior to settling down to a quiet life in Little Cayman, Kassa, who was born on 7 Jan. 1939 in Berlin, Germany, before the outbreak of World War II, had led a glamourous, globetrotting existence, which included owning and running a nightclub in Monte Carlo and travelling the world. Her fascinating life was described in her autobiography ‘From Coffee to Champagne to Coconuts’, and was subject to the short documentary, ‘Paradise Found‘ shot in Little Cayman two years ago. Locally, Kassa was celebrated for her interest and efforts in conserving the natural environment of her adopted home, Little Cayman. Over the years, she donated her time and large sums of money to the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, enabling it to buy swathes of land on Little Cayman to be preserved for conservation purposes for future generations. As well as her autobiography, Kassa also wrote a children’s book, ‘Brenetta and her Menagerie’, which was based on her own life on Little Cayman, and the array of animals and birds, including peacocks, ducks and chickens, she and her late husband Basil cared for. She had met Basil at her Monte Carlo ‘gypsy’ nightclub – which had been frequented by the likes of Zsa Zsa Gabor and Aristotle Onassis – and had moved with him to New Jersey. Her dream had been to live on a tropical island, and the couple travelled the globe together, exploring potential island homes. They initially landed on Grand Cayman, but then heard about its tiny sister island neighbour. Once they got there, they fell in love with the place and bought a plot of land. In the ‘Paradise Found’ documentary, directed by filmmaker James V. Hart, Kassa talked about landing in Little Cayman for the first time, and staying at a Blossom Village home, owned by the late Linton Tibbetts. When they went to the island’s single store for food, the couple found shelves were bare, apart from a few tins. Next morning, they opened their front door to discover the local residents had left them a gift of bananas and cassava to make sure they didn’t go hungry. On a walk on the beach that day, they came across a ‘For Sale’ sign and their future was sealed, she recalled. “We were sitting there [on a tree log] and looked at the water, and I touched the sand and said, ‘That’s it, this is my dream. I like to be here. I want to be here,’” she said. They moved to Little Cayman in 1973, when there were 10-20 people living on the island. ‘No task too daunting’ Neighbour and friends of Kassa have been paying tribute to her, with many focusing on her anything-is-possible spirit and her deep love of Little Cayman. Friend Carla Reid described Kassa as “an amazing woman who had a zest for life and accomplished whatever she tackled, including a small hydroponic vegetable garden, author of two books, raising ducks and nursing injured birds”. She added, “No task was too daunting for her.” Her close friend Betty Bua said she had been saddened to return to the island from a trip visiting family in the US less than two weeks ago, to be told that Kassa’s health was “failing fast”. “Brigitte was my best friend on Little Cayman,” she said. “She had a lot of very close friends, all of whom she adored and would do anything for if they asked, and reciprocation was the same. “She lived life big, full of spunk, with a get-go attitude, and lived it her way and on her terms.” She added, “Her love for the island and its natural habitat was overwhelming and, to keep it that way, she gave so generously to the National Trust for its preservation. “I have been left with exceptionally fond memories that I will cherish forever. I was able to relive a few of those moments with Brigitte on Thursday afternoon, holding hands and sharing some of our memories with Carla. “She left this world on her terms and did it her way.” Neighbours and friends Rosh and Richard Addlestone said of Kassa: “She loved Little Cayman and was very happy there. Independent and determined, we would often find her in her garden, still wheeling a barrow around with more strength than someone half her age. “She loved her orchids and feeding the wild birds, growing vegetables and always welcoming us with her lovely smile and bright blue eyes.” ‘Stalwart champion’ of National Trust Gregory McTaggart, chairman of the Little Cayman District Committee of the National Trust, in which Kassa was heavily involved, said on behalf of the committee, “We are saddened beyond measure with the passing of Mrs. Brigitte Kassa this past weekend.” He said Kassa had been a hands-on supporter of the National Trust “from the very beginning, giving freely of her time and resources to establish the Trust and start it on its mission to preserve the cultural heritage and traditions of the Caymanian people, protect buildings and places of historic significance, and conserve the natural environment and unique creatures on the smallest of these islands. “From operating the backhoe to lift the roof trusses in place during the construction of the Gladys Howard Visitor’s Centre in the early 1990s to donating hundreds of thousands of dollars just in the last 10 years for land preservation, Brigitte did it all, and was one of the most stalwart champions of the Trust since its inception.” He added, “We will be lost without your cheer, kindness, determination, and indomitable spirit. But we will continue your legacy of infinite love for and fierce protection of this little island.” Stacy Frank, who interviewed Kassa for the ‘Paradise Found’ documentary, and filmmaker Hart, in a joint tribute, described her as a “pioneer, legend and force of nature who made a big impact on those who knew her and on her Island in the Sun, Little Cayman”. “She lived life on her terms in her chosen paradise,” they said. “She made her dreams come true by living them and not just talking about them. We should all learn from Brigitte. You don’t have to live forever, you just have to live. After meeting Kassa and being introduced to her autobiography, Frank and Hart said they met with her regularly to gather more information about her life for the documentary. “Brigitte expressed to us during filming that her legacy would be preserving the island for future generations. That she did,” they said. “We are all grateful to Brigitte for making her corner of paradise a much better world.” A celebration of Kassa’s life will be held at a later date.
