NEW YORK, N.Y. April 5, 2023 –Arrangements are being finalized for the memorial service for Mr. Frank Minaya that will be held at Riverside Church, 490 Riverside Drive, in New York City, starting at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. Following the service, a “Repast and Dance Celebration” will be held until 8:00pm.”
Mr. Minaya, the late legendary owner of the renowned BANANA BOAT nightclub in Nassau, Bahamas, in the 1960s and 1970s, was very well-known in The Bahamas, which he considered to be his “second home.
Confirming that he will attend the memorial service, Bahamas Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said, “I wish on behalf of the country to say a fond farewell. He loved our country and our people. He is a figure that is very much a legend. He is a part of our history. Our country says a grateful thanks to him and his family. May he rest in peace.”
Mr. Minaya’s widow, Dr. Dana Minaya, released this draft of his official obituary today.
OBITUARY OF FRANK GREGORY MINAYA
Educator and Social Entrepreneur
December 29, 1933 – March 3, 2023
Frank was born in Brooklyn to parents who both left the Dominican Republic under duress but met in New York. His father Nicolas Minaya sought asylum from threat of assassination; Frank’s mother Olivia Willmore left because she was troubled by the civil strife in the Dominican Republic.
Frank and his older brother Ernest grew up in African-American East Harlem. Frank’s most formative childhood experiences included attending sleep-away camp at New York City Mission Society’s Camp Minisink near Port Jervis, New York. Frank eventually became a counselor at the camp and a member of the esteemed Order of The Feather.
Upon high school graduation, Frank received a basketball athletic full scholarship for study at Seton Hall University. He majored in Health and minored in Philosophy which proved to be his special love; he enjoyed philosophical discourse throughout his life.
Following a few years as an educator, Frank met Dr. Doris Johson who encouraged him to come to the Bahamas to film the nascent women’s suffrage movement. Coming from a country that was steeped in racism, Frank was greatly influenced by Bahamian pride. He remained in the Bahamas, brought his son Gregory and parents to Nassau and managed Freddie Munning’s Cat and Fiddle Nightclub. From that experience, he left Nassau’s Bay Street to found the popular Banana Boat nightclub “over the hill” from downtown Nassau in a local neighborhood. During his years in Nassau, he promoted many of the local musicians—The Upsetters, Ezra Hepburn, Tony Seymour, and Count Bernadino. At this time he also produced the first Bahamian full length film entitled “Banana Boat Beat”.
Frank returned to New York City to become an educator in the New York City Public Schools. Upon his return, he met and married fellow educator Dana Fienning in 1973. At this time, Frank received two master’s degrees from City College and Columbia University. Being a very creative person, Frank developed unusual projects in the school system. He brought visual artists and musicians into classrooms, setup a full television production studio for students in East Harlem, worked with Mario Salvadori in his development of a program of architectural engineering (now known as Salvadori Center STEAM), and developed an AIDS education program early in the AIDS crisis when there was no AIDS related curriculum in the schools. But, Frank’s main focus was to develop student self-esteem through his sensitive use of photography and by having students interact with positive adult role models.
In his post retirement years, Frank returned to The Bahamas to develop a number of charitable projects. He created a cultural art therapy program within Her Majesty’s Prison. Within the primary schools, Frank created the first Bahamian Fire Prevention and Safety Program. As president of the Bahamian American Partnership, Frank arranged for the purchase of the first fire truck for the island of Bimini. For many years Frank served as treasurer and Board Member of Bahamas Education Culture and Science Foundation, Inc. He was also concerned with rallying the support needed to change The College of the Bahamas to its present day status of University of The Bahamas.
Frank’s mother Olivia originated from Samana in the Dominican Republic which was populated in 1824 by freed slaves from the United States. Because of Frank’s roots in the Dominican Republic, he became involved in a number of projects initiated to promote the development of Samana. Projects included the preservation of the history and culture of the 1824 immigrants, housing and support of university researchers, a dental clinic, encouraging the re-establishment of a women’s coconut oil cooperative, donation of crucial medical supplies to the local hospital, relief supplies following Hurricane Georges in 1998, donation of school supplies to two primary schools located in underserved rural areas, and cholera prevention education in the schools. Frank was also founder and president of Samana Foundation Inc. which has now gone international with educational and environmental projects in Costa Rica.
In his own neighborhood of Morningside Gardens, Frank is best known for sharing his photographic skills in neighborhood events. Frank continued enjoying building self-esteem in others through his photographic skills. He was an active thespian with The Morningside Players. He enjoyed socializing with his neighbors in the outdoor plazas of Morningside Gardens and in the programming at Morningside Retirement and Health Services. He declined in health over a number of years, but maintained his infectious, positive spirit and concern for others
Frank is survived by his wife Dana Fienning Minaya and son Gregory Franklin Minaya. He was preceded in death by son Walter Robert Minaya, his first wife Anne Hartley Minaya (mother of Gregory) and brother Ernest Minaya. Godchildren are Odley Patek Aritis, Eunice Barrett, Angel Jewel Cottrol, Chris Robert Cottrol.
Memorial donations can be made to Morningside Retirement and Health Services, Riverside Church Food Pantry, or University of the Bahamas US Foundation Inc.
