The Tribune

By Morgan Adderley

Tribune Staff Reporter

madderley@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN icon, Olympian, and philanthropist Sir Durward Randolph Knowles was remembered yesterday as a man who loved his country and strove to make his community a better place.

A funeral was held yesterday at Ebenezer Methodist Church for Sir Durward, who died on February 24, 2017 and the age of 100.

In 1956, Sir Durward became the Bahamas’ first Olympic medalist. During the Melbourne Games, he won a bronze medal in sailing along with Sloane Ferguson.

In 1964 Tokyo Games, Sir Durward won the gold in sailing along with Cecil Cooke.

At the time of his death, he was the oldest living Olympic gold medalist in the world.

During Monday’s service, Ebenezer Methodist Church was overflowing with family, friends, and representatives of the many organisations Sir Durward supported.

These included his former high school Queen’s College, the Rotary Club of East Nassau, the Bahamas Association for Physically Disabled, and One Bahamas, all of which paid tribute during the ceremony.

During his tribute, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis extended condolences on behalf of a “grateful nation” to a man who “loved our Bahamas with joy and exuberance.”

Dr Minnis said: “Sir Durward Knowles was a world-class athlete and Olympian… He was an accomplished businessman, a man of excellence who exhibited discipline in every field of endeavour.

“He loved his family and his country with tremendous passion and devotion.”

Dr Minnis continued: “As I noted on several occasions, Sir Durward demonstrated the nobility and largeness of spirit to confront certain historic wrongs in our country, which some others chose to silently ignore at best.

“His involvement with the disability community demonstrated a core value of Sir Durward… This value is the dignity of all of God’s people, regardless of any circumstance of birth or life.”

Dr Minnis added: “(Sir Durward) passionately believed that we all deserve a chance to succeed in life, and spent his life helping others to succeed and fulfil their potential.

“He used his privilege to help the underprivileged and the vulnerable. This was a testament to his faith and to his commitment to good citizenship.

“Sir Durward Knowles represents the very best of the Bahamian spirit.”

In his tribute, former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham described Sir Durward as a “national institution.”

He also offered condolences to Sir Durward’s wife, Lady Holly, with whom the icon was blessed with “a long marriage, 71 years.”

Mr Ingraham said: “It is presumptuous of me to call Sir Durward my friend. He was 30 years my senior, an accomplished businessman, a model humanitarian, and patron of many…But I admired and respected him.

“(Sir Durward) was a man of his word… He said what he meant, and he meant what he said. He loved the sea. He made it his sport and he made it his business. (To) great success in both instances.

“He won Bahamas (its) first Olympic gold medal, and inspired others to do likewise.

“In short Sir Durward was a great Bahamian patriot, a man of character, and a man of social conscience, and a man of charity.”

During the ceremony, the Olympic flag hung behind the rostrum. Sir Durward’s daughter Charlotte Albury thanked the Olympic Association for this honour.

She said: “I understand this is a very rare thing, that is not given out too often, and we really appreciate you having made the effort to get this in our possession.”

Mrs Albury also asked those present to “make (Sir Durward) proud by doing something good for your fellow human being.”

She added: “If we all take just one page out of his book of life, what a better Bahamas we would have.”

Both Mrs Albury and the obituary quoted words from Sir Durward’s final book, “Never Give Up”.

“As I write this book, I am almost 100 and right now I am in a good place. My body is not bad for a centurion and my mind is sound,” Sir Durward wrote.

“I can honestly say, I have lived a full life and if my eyes closed tomorrow, I would feel I left the world a better place than I found it. Never give up!”

Sir Durward’s legacy will be cherished by his wife, Lady Holly; children, Jill, Randy, and Charlotte; grandchildren, great-grandchildren, numerous relatives, friends, and the nation.