The Tribune

ALFRED Bismark Coakley, who made a huge contribution in corporate and charitable circles in the Bahamas over many years, died on Sunday in Doctor’s Hospital following a brief illness. He was 73.

Mr Coakley was a founding member of Sunshine Holdings Limited (SHL) and served as its first president from its incorporation before Independence. He served in that role until his retirement in 2009 after 38 years, when he assumed the role of deputy chairman of the board.

“He epitomised the mission of the group, namely to prove that persons of humble origins could cooperate to own and manage businesses,” said SHL Chairman, Franklyn Wilson. “He worked tirelessly to cause the company to grow from $100,000 in capital to well in excess of $100 million, during which time, as president of Arawak Homes, he oversaw the delivery of thousands of homes to Bahamian families.”

Bradley Roberts, another founding member of SHL, remembered Mr Coakley as a man who never forgot who he was and where he came from. “From his humble beginnings on King Street, he never left. He never forgot his origins. Not a day passed when he didn’t go back to King Street and late in life, built a vacation home at Calabash Bay, Andros. His heart was in the right place,” said Mr Roberts.

Mr Coakley also made a huge contribution to the wider society. “He demonstrated the philosophy of the group and believed strongly in the idea of giving back to society rather than simply extracting,” Mr Roberts said. “In his loyalty to that philosophy, his contributions to country are legendary.”

In the realm of youth development, Mr Coakley was a founding member of Toastmasters International and an early member of the Jaycees. He served as a founding member of the Rotary Club of West Nassau, which, this year will celebrate its 48th anniversary. He was a founding member of the Young Presidents Organisation and a founding Director of Junior Achievement. He served as president of the Chamber of Commerce for three years and as a director for many more.

He served as director of the Crippled Children’s Committee, later renamed the Physically Challenged Children’s Committee. He was a long and faithful member of St Agnes Parish and served in numerous capacities, including Chairman of the Council of the Anglican Church Men.

During the course of his business career, he served on numerous corporate boards, including the Bahamas Electricity Corporation, Focol Holdings, RoyalStar Assurance, Eleuthera Properties, Cotton Bay Development and Sun Oil.

Mr Coakley made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by the Queen in 2010 and in February 2015, was awarded the Lady Sassoon Golden Heart Award for his work with physically challenged children and helping his fellow man.

Mr Wilson noted that Mr Coakley also will be remembered for his legendary social events in celebration of Independence. “From the Bahamas became independent, Billy Godet (now deceased) hosted a special celebration event. When Billy passed away in 1997, Mr Coakley assumed the role of hosting that event and did so the following year in 1998. It brought together Bahamian males from all walks of life to celebrate the oneness and unity of this country,” he said. “Each of the three Prime Ministers of the Bahamas saw it as a virtual obligation to attend that celebration.”

Mr Coakley was born in 1942 in Nassau to Roderick and Mary Coakley, of Fresh Creek, Andros.

He is the father of seven children, Perez, Leesa, Carlos, Gerard, Tiffany, Alexia, and Chia.