They Died 2021

2 THEY DIED 2021 P U B L I S H E D J A N UA R Y 5 , 2 0 2 1 B USINESS MOGUl Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart died in the United States of America on Sunday night, January 4, sending shock waves across the island. Stewart, 79, was said to be ailing for sometime. Prime Minister Andrew Holness expressed “deep sadness” having learnt of the passing of Stewart, who he described as “one of Jamaica’s most brilliant, innovative and transformative business minds”. “Butch was a man way ahead of his time, he had an eye for details and his ability tomarket and deliver world-class service in any endeavour was tremendously distinctive. Hewas an extraordinary human being with an unwavering commitment to the social good. He has left his unmistakeable mark across the region and the world and we shall miss him dearly. I send heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and the thousands of employees whose lives he no doubt personally impacted. This loss is not just Jamaica’s, it is the Caribbean’s,” said Holness. Stewart’s son, Adam, said in a correspondence to managers of the Sandals group that his father chose to keep his recent health diagnosis private. “My dad lived a big life,” he said of the entrepreneurial giant who founded Sandals Resorts in 1981, the Jamaica Observer and ATL Group. The younger Stewart hailed Butch as “an unstoppable force who revelled in defying the odds”. He said that Butch’s passion for family was “matched only by the people and possibility of the Caribbean, for whom he was a fierce champion.” “There will never be another quite like him and we will miss him forever, “ Adam said. Butch Stewart has died “Butch was a man way ahead of his time, he had an eye for details and his ability to market and deliver world- class service in any endeavour was tremendously distinctive.”