Obituary: Lennie David de Gale 

by Edward de Gale

Born in Birchgrove on the island of Grenada on 7 June 1936, to his father Victor de Gale, and mother Felicity Rosilia Prince, (née Ventour) Lennie David de Gale (born Lennie David Ventour), was a maverick entrepreneur, innovative businessman, hotelier, philanthropist, farmer, community leader, husband, father, grandfather, and brother.

De Gale attended St Mathew’s Roman Catholic Elementary School in Birchgrove, St Andrew, Grenada. De Gale was also an altar boy (acolyte) for St Matthew’s Roman Catholic Church in Birchgrove. His grandmother raised him until the age of 7, when she died suddenly, leaving him without a guardian until his mother returned from Trinidad years later.

At a young age, he worked for many non-familial and familial landowners throughout Birchgrove, until his 19th birthday, when he stowed away on a boat to Trinidad. Upon arrival in Trinidad, he lived with his brother Franklin de Gale and his family. In Trinidad, de Gale worked for many contractors who provided services to the government by building many roads, highways and projects which are now an essential part of Trinidad’s infrastructure.

Though unaware of the birth of his daughters for quite some time, his first born child, Ann “Elma” Thomas (née Edgar), was born in Grenada, and his second child, Yvonne Ferdinand, was born in Trinidad.

In Trinidad, de Gale met Cynthia Rose Seignoret, whom he would eventually marry in 1962. The couple built a house in Petit Valley, Trinidad, and had their first son, Anthony David. After some time, the family decided to immigrate to North America, with de Gale first moving to Chicago to get a place for the family, where he worked for the Neilson Ice Cream Company.  Unfulfilled with his job at Neilson’s, he was persuaded and helped by his wife Cynthia to return to school and complete an air conditioning and refrigeration course, where he earned a certificate in Chicago. Within a year, the family decided not to reside in the United States, but to move collectively to Toronto, Canada, where their second son Edward Victor was born.

In Toronto, the family flourished. An air conditioning and heating company called Caribbean Air Design expanded from one service truck in the beginning to 6 service trucks at its peak. “Hot or Cold, Young or Old, Come to Caribbean Air Design” was the slogan. During this time, the family acquired significant real estate properties. However, the recession hit, and the company took a turn for the worse. Real estate was liquidated to keep the company afloat.

In 1977, Cynthia had suffered a stroke paralysing 60% of her left side. The couple separated soon after.

De Gale went on to successfully establish ACE Air Conditioning in California. As the company grew more successful, he envisioned retiring to Grenada and building a hotel. He moved to Florida for some time before returning to Grenada.

De Gale worked tirelessly acquiring land on the world-renowned Grand Anse Beach and building one of the largest, solely-owned, sole proprietor of a Grenadian-owned hotel on that beach, the Grand Anse Beach Palace Hotel. After he acquired the hotel, he encountered a legal challenge that threatened the life of his dream to build a hotel on Grand Anse. While he lost the legal judgement in the lower court, he appealed the decision, hired outside counsel and paid $50,000 to win a pivotal legal judgement that ensured the hotel would have a chance to succeed.

For over 30 years, de Gale welcomed family, friends, acquaintances and guests from around the world to Grenada and provided the hospitality, relaxation and enjoyment for which Grenada is famous.

In 1999, he married his long-time, faithful companion, Sharon.

In 2016, he suffered a stroke which paralysed a large percentage of his right side, requiring years of physiotherapy from which he never fully recovered. De Gale passed away peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by family and friends in his hotel in Grand Anse, Grenada, on 16 February 2025. His legacy will live on in his family and in the hearts of the people he touched.

Lennie de Gale is survived by his loving wife Sharon, his daughter Ann, his sons Anthony and Edward, his siblings Justin “JD”, Victor, George Prince, Iris Miriam “Lynette” Alexander, Joseph Prince; grandchildren Cheridon, Kenton, and Marianna Edgar, Olivia Rose and Julian David de Gale, and several great-grandchildren, countless nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, friends and colleagues.

A special thanks to his longtime loyal nurse, Debra Earla Coppin, for her patience, wise and loving care of him for many years, and to his entire extraordinary care team and hotel staff. We also acknowledge Dr Duncan, who would check in on him on a regular basis, and also his best friend, McLoud.

We give thanks and celebrate the life of Lennie David de Gale. From field hand to millionaire, he beat the odds, fought the good fight, and did it his way!