The Caribbean community in Brooklyn has expressed profound sadness over the passing of Rodrick F. Daley, the Jamaican-born chair of Community Board 17.
Daley died on April 13 at the age of 54.
Community Boards are local representative bodies in the City of New York. Community Board 17 is one of 59 Community Boards created by a City Charter amendment in 1975.
“I am heartbroken by the passing of Chairman Rodrick Daley — a devoted District 45 resident, dedicated educator, gifted athlete, celebrated domino champion, and unwavering community leader, whose impact on Central Brooklyn will be felt for generations,” Council Member Farah N. Louis, representative for the 45th Council District in Brooklyn, told Caribbean Life on Thursday, April 30.
“Through his leadership at Community Board 17, Chairman Daley championed equitable development, uplifted community voices, and never wavered in his commitment to serve with both strength and compassion,” added Louis, the daughter of Haitian and Bahamian immigrants. “Even in the face of illness, he continued to show up for his community with extraordinary grace and resilience.
“To his beloved wife, his children, and the entire CB17 family — you are in my thoughts and prayers,” she continued. “His legacy lives on in every life he touched. Rest in power, Chairman Daley. Your work, your voice, and your legacy will never be forgotten.”
Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, the Haitian-born representative for the 46th Council District, in Brooklyn, also told Caribbean Life that she was “deeply saddened by the passing of Rodrick ‘Ruddie’ Daley.
“Ruddie was a fixture in our community for decades, and his loss is felt across every neighborhood he touched,” she said. “Ruddie spent more than 25 years in our public schools, not just teaching but building programs that gave young people a reason to believe in themselves.
“He created mentorship programs, study abroad opportunities for middle schoolers, and student government initiatives because he understood that education doesn’t stop at the classroom door,” added Narcisse.
“That was who he was,” she continued. “He wasn’t slowing down. He was still planning, still building, still showing up for the young people of this community. My heart goes out to his wife Garcia, their five sons, and everyone who loved him. Brooklyn has lost a giant.”
State Assemblywoman Jaime Williams, the Trinidadian-born representative for the 59th Assembly District in Brooklyn, said: “In life, we are sometimes fortunate enough to meet extraordinary individuals who leave a lasting mark on our hearts, and Rodrick Daley was one of them.”
“As chairman of Community Board 17, he demonstrated an unwavering commitment to serving his community with compassion and purpose,” she said. “I am proud to have worked closely with him on a relief effort in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa, where I witnessed firsthand his dedication to humanity and helping others.”
“He was the kind of person we all hope to be, and may he rest in peace,” Williams added.
State Assemblywoman Monique Chandler-Waterman, the daughter of Jamaican and Barbadian immigrants, sent condolences to Daley’s family.
“We honor the life and legacy of our beloved Community Board 17 Chair, Rodrick Daley,” said the representative for the 58th Assembly District in Brooklyn. “His leadership, compassion, and unwavering commitment uplifted our entire community.
“His impact will live on as we continue the work he cared so deeply about,” Chandler-Waterman added. “May he rest in eternal peace and power.”
Anne-Rhea Smith, a Trinidadian-born media, cultural diversity, and community engagement professional, said Daley was “a pillar of service and advocacy within our community.”
“His contributions spanned decades, touching countless lives through his leadership, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to cultural preservation and civic engagement,” she said. “As chairman of Community Board 17, he worked tirelessly to support cultural institutions across Brooklyn, including mas bands, steel orchestras, and Caribbean-based organizations.
“He was especially instrumental in ensuring that our cultural groups had access to critical resources, such as rehearsal and practice spaces,” added Smith, who is also a board member of the Brooklyn-based West Indian-American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA), organizer of the annual massive West Indian-American Day Carnival Parade on Brooklyn’s Eastern Parkway.
Additionally, Smith said Daley “played a key role in helping organizations navigate city and state systems—providing guidance, facilitating trainings, and helping them build the operational strength needed to sustain their work and impact.”
“A proud son of Jamaica, Mr. Daley brought his heritage into every space he occupied, using it as a bridge to empower and unify communities,” she added. “Professionally, he served within the New York City Department of Education for many years, where he influenced generations of youth, families, and educators.”
“His legacy in education and community development will continue to resonate for years to come,” Smith continued.
In a statement, WIADCA extended its “deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Roderick Daley.”
“His unwavering support of cultural organizations and his commitment to ensuring access, equity, and sustainability for our community’s traditions helped strengthen the foundation of New York Carnival,” it said. “His legacy of service, advocacy, and cultural pride will not be forgotten.”
Daley was a retired assistant principal from the New York City Department of Education. He began his public-school teaching career in the mid-1990s at South Shore High School in Brooklyn.
In 2001, he joined the faculty of Meyer Levin Intermediate School 285 in Brooklyn, where he was once a student. He later went on to Prospect Heights High School, also in Brooklyn, where he was a Spanish teacher and dean.
Daley, who migrated to Brooklyn in 1982, obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Haverford College in Pennsylvania and a Master’s of Science in Education from the College of Mount Saint Vincent.
Daley is survived by his wife, his childhood sweetheart, Garcia, and their five children, Stephon, Carter, Christian, Grayson and Cooper.
A funeral service was held on Friday, May 1, at Miracle Temple Ministries, an evangelical church in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn.
Another service was held the next day at Liberty Hall Cathedral of Praise, 1387 East, 96th Street, Brooklyn.
Daley’s body was then by interred at Canarsie Cemetery in Brooklyn.
