Rawle Brancker remembered as business giant

Prominent businessman and former Barbados cricketer Rawle Brancker was on Friday remembered as a giant in the business sector and national development.

The Combermere, Empire and Barbados cricketer who parlayed his cricket career into developing a business that bore his name died on July 27 aged 83.

In a funeral service attended by Acting Governor General The Very Reverend Dr Jeffrey Gibson, Chief Justice Sir Patterson Cheltenham and National Hero Sir Garfield Sobers at the Coral Ridge Memorial Gardens, a tribute penned by widow Roxanne Brancker spoke of a man who was many things to many people.

She described him as handsome, supportive, always generous to a fault, elegant, thoughtful, chivalrous and caring among many other positive attributes.

In the tribute read by her son Sundiata Gibbs, Brancker was remembered for his love of sweetbread, cou-cou, mauby, Guyanese bakes, Oxtail stew, and soup – only if it had dumplings. He also loved rotis, especially those brought from Trinidad by friend Junior.

Roxanne Brancker recalled that her husband loved Whitney Houston and Betty Davis, the weather presenter on the American TV network ABC. He also enjoyed his garden and fixing things around the house but stayed away from cooking, she recalled.

Gibbs read: “He [Brancker] admitted he was spoiled by his mother and sisters growing up in Emmerton and was never required to cook, so while he liked to eat, cooking was not on his long list of things he could do. He always said he wanted to learn how to cook and how to dance. Mind you, I thought he was a great dancer. He was a consummate romantic.

“And speaking of the perfect gentleman, I always had to wait until he opened the door for me, he would have it no other way. He always got to his feet when a lady entered the room, or pulled the chair to make space when a lady was about to sit. At first, I figured he did all those things to impress me, but as the many years rolled by, I realized that this was Rawle and he wasn’t changing.”

Brancker’s son, Adrian, told mourners that his father taught him that honesty, humility and integrity were some of the most important attributes a man could have.

Adrian recalled that his dad had a way of speaking softly and directly and noted that he had only heard him utter a curse word once or twice – when he was paraphrasing someone.

Adrian said: “Like most father and son relationships, we had some rocky moments and we didn’t always see eye to eye. Our conflict started way back when I think from the time that I chose swimming lessons over cricket lessons and then it worsened even further when I took up tennis and surfing more seriously.

“Cricket was not on my radar at all. I imagine that my choice in sports would have been a bitter pill for you to swallow. You had to flex, big time, and let me be me, and flex you did, even funding the purchase of my first surf board.

“Despite some obvious differences and disagreements, sometimes as we moved from being just father and son to being business partners our relationship was not only based on love, but it was also based on a healthy dose of mutual admiration and respect.

“I loved how you loved, were inspired by and inspired young people. You always saw the good and potential in young people and always made time to mentor and invested heavily in the development of young minds and trying to change any negativity into positivity.”

Adrian shared that one Christmas vacation while working at his father’s business when it was in Spry Street, Brancker overheard two young staff members having a conversation about their inability at that time to buy a house.

He said in the following days, he was astonished to witness his father call the staff members who were engaging in the conversation into his office to inform them that he had set up for them to have a meeting with his bank manager and also give them a deposit towards a mortgage for a house.

In delivering his longstanding friend’s eulogy, Reverend Sir Wes Hall who met Brancker at the gate of Combermere School 75 years ago when they had their first conversation about cricket, said despite his commendable achievements, Brancker’s love for his family could be compared to the greatest love that comes from God.

Sir Wes said he spent a memorable Father’s Day with Brancker, Sir Garfield and other friends. Four days before he died Brancker visited his home where he spent the day engaging in conversation.

“I just wish to say that one of the reasons that I was discombobulated about his death, is that he was so vibrant, very alert,” said Sir Wes. “I was so happy. He was very well dressed. I could tell you what he wore.”

And commenting on Brancker and his widow’s relationship, Sir Wes revealed that not only did she give her husband one of her kidneys but she also gave him her heart.                                             

Brancker who founded bathroom fitters Brancker’s on Fontabelle in 1974, was also a co-founder and Executive Chairman of the Barbados Lumber Company. In 1991, he received a Gold Crown of Merit for his contribution to business, and in 2015, The Bank on Me Distinguished Entrepreneurial Award.

A representative of the Empire Club of which Brancker was a devoted member said the club’s members were saddened by the passing of one of their finest sons.

Brancker, a club trustee. was instrumental in securing funding for the transitioning of the current modern club house. And many years later, when the club found itself in crippling financial difficulties, Brancker assumed the chairmanship of a committee that worked to rescue the club from debt.

In a tribute on behalf of the 48-year-old Barbados Lumber Company, fast-bowling great and director Sir Charles Griffith said Brancker was associated with the conceptualization of the nation’s only black-owned lumber company and stood at the forefront as the company had to fight fierce competitions with white-owned firms on a playing field which was never levelled.

Officiating Minister Apostle Dr Stephen Holford encouraged those gathered to reflect on their relationship with God as they mourned the loss of the man who touched many lives.

Brancker was laid to rest at the Legends Gardens at Coral Ridge. (anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb)