Antigua and Barbuda paid its final respects to former Member of Parliament and Minister of Works and Housing Eustace "Teco" Lake on Friday morning, as an official state funeral was held at St. Andrew's Anglican Church on Nevis Street. Lake passed away on February 20 following a prolonged illness.

According to Antigua.news, Governor General Sir Rodney Williams and Prime Minister Gaston Browne were among the dignitaries in attendance, joined by representatives from both sides of the political divide. The coffin, draped in the national flag, was subsequently conveyed to its final resting place at Tranquility Park Cemetery on Sir Sidney Walling Highway.

Senate President Senator Alincia Williams-Grant, Speaker of the House of Representatives Osbert Frederick, Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle, Cabinet members, members of the diplomatic corps, and clergy were also present at the service. Tributes from family and friends painted the portrait of a man whose personal warmth was as defining as his years of public service.

Lake's nephew, who delivered the eulogy, described his uncle as a man of uncommon character and connection. "He possessed a natural warmth, a gift for conversation, a larger-than-life personality, a smile that could lift even the heaviest heart, and a charm that could light up any room," he said. "Everybody loved him, everybody respected him, everybody knew him as Teco."

The eulogy traced Lake's life from his early years at All Saints Primary School, through Princess Margaret School and the Antigua State College, to the start of his professional career at Antigua Commercial Bank before he migrated to the United States. He earned a bachelor's degree from St. John Fisher University in Rochester, New York, where he became a member of a group of Antiguan and Caribbean alumni known as the Dudley Fisher Crew.

A representative of the Dudley Fisher Crew delivered a tribute on behalf of former classmates, remembering Lake as a mentor, protector, and brother. "Teco actually became a mentor, a protector, a brother to some of us," the representative said. "If he called you sis or bro, that wasn't because he forgot your name. It was because you were truly important to him."

Lake returned to Antigua and Barbuda in the early 2000s, driven by a commitment to national development. Prior to entering formal politics, he served as Operations Manager at Bargain Centre. He was also a passionate supporter of the steel pan tradition and was active in the Junior Chamber International.

He was first elected to the House of Representatives for St. John's Rural South in 2009 and was re-elected in 2014, serving during that tenure as Minister of Works and Housing. Following his departure from electoral politics in 2018, he was appointed to the Senate, where he served until 2022. Lake also served as Chairman of the Caribbean Commonwealth Human Rights Group.

Archdeacon Reed, in his tribute, described Lake as a "decided politician who devoted his life to the service of others," whose commitment to family, community, and people had created a legacy that would endure.

Lake is survived by his two sons, Jossie and Trevor.