The death has occurred at age 85 of well-known businessman Malcolm Lloyd Gosling, former president and chief executive officer of Gosling Brothers, who retired two years ago as its chairman.

Born on May 1, 1922, Mr. Gosling was educated at Saltus Grammar School, Ridley College in Canada, and Pennsylvania University.

In 1942, during the Second World War, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, and was trained in Quebec before being posted to England, where he served as a Pilot Officer.

At the end of hostilities, Mr. Gosling returned to Bermuda before proceeding to Toronto University, where he gained a business degree, and then joined the family business, with which he remained until his retirement in 2005.

His business acumen was held in high esteem throughout the firm.

One of its managing directors, Charles Gosling, said: “We really considered Malcolm a leader of Bermuda’s wines and spirits industry. At an early age he really saw the potential of the wine market as it was beginning to develop in other countries. It was through his relationship with the industry as a whole that Bermuda developed. Most particularly, Gosling’s has evolved into a company which is not only recognised as a leader in Bermuda but also internationally.”

As an employer, Mr. Gosling said his relative was “an amazing man to work for”.

“He was extremely analytical in the way he examined situations.

“He was always very firm but also fair, and always listened to both sides of an argument before coming to a conclusion.”

On a personal level, although the former chairman of the Bermuda Licensed Victuallers Association was his third cousin once removed, Charles Gosling said: “whenever anyone referred to him as my father I took that as a compliment. I think he was an extraordinary man.”

In addition to being a successful businessman, Malcolm Gosling was also an avid sportsman whose name was synonymous with tennis and golf. For many years he was one of Bermuda’s best tennis players, and achieved a similar standing when later he switched to golf. A former president of the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association, Mr. Gosling was also a member of the Coral Beach Club, the Riddell’s Bay Golf Club, the Mid-Ocean Club, and for many years was president of the Bermuda Golf Association.

In 1994 the Bermuda Government honoured him with a Special Achievement Award for his distinguished and sustained contributions to tennis and golf.

Mr. Gosling retained many connections with Second World War-related organisations. A life member of the Royal Air Force Association and Royal Canadian Air Force 407 Squadron, he was also treasurer of the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps Overseas Association, a former president of the Bermuda War Veterans Association, and trustee of its Poppy Appeal Fund.

A lifelong member of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, as were his ancestors for generations before him, Mr. Gosling served as a church warden for 27 years, and was also on the vestry for many years.

His hobbies were stamp collecting and woodworking. A member of the Stamp Design Advisory Committee for some years, he was a keen collector who specialised in West Indian and King George VI high value stamps.

He enjoyed woodworking, and used Bermuda cedar to craft many pieces of occasional furniture for his wife and Paget home, “Bloomfield”.

Mourning Mr. Gosling’s loss are his wife Mary, whom he married in Vancouver in 1950, daughters Nancy, Nea and Penny, son Edmund Malcolm, sister Nea Willits, and nine grandchildren. Predeceasing him were brothers Edmund (Teddy) and Francis (Goose).

Funeral arrangements are pending.