Gurney Beckford, the man who for decades was the face of Dunlop Corbin Communications (DCC) — one of Jamaica’s top advertising agencies — passed away yesterday after ailing for some time. He was 83.

Beckford, who in 2005 was invested with the Order of Distinction, in the rank of Officer, moved up from junior executive to become chairman of DCC.

Before joining DCC, Beckford started his career in the industry at CPV International Advertising agency as an account executive.

Yesterday evening, his daughter Andrea Wray told the Jamaica Observer that even after he was no longer able to go into office in January last year, he was still acting in an advisory capacity and would also call DCC regularly to get updates on how the staff were doing.

She said the thing that struck her most about her father was his devotion to his children and the fact that he didn’t impose his will on them.

“He wanted to be the best father he could be to his children because his father was not the best father to him, so he went above and beyond making sure that he was a very good father to me and my brother,” she said.

“He encouraged us and enabled us to soar and to become the best versions of ourselves. Even if he didn’t agree with something that we decided to do he would give his advice and then say, ‘Well, I’ve given you the advice, it is for you now to take it and use it, or reject it’,” she said.

“I appreciated that, because so many of my friends didn’t have that,” said Wray.

“He never forgot where he came from — Lambs River in Westmoreland; and it was just blessings and circumstances from God why he made it to where he made it,” she said, and praised Buxton High School for the education her father received.

In addition to Wary, Beckford is survived by his wife Mavis, more popularly referred to as Pam, and his son Gavin.