On the morning of April 23, 1959, a bouncing baby boy was born in the sleepy settlement of Rock Sound, Eleuthera to Marina Allerdyce Strachan whom she named Dion Bernis. Dion was her third child and first son as he was born after his sisters Constance and Veronica. A few years later his baby brother Troy rounded out the family.  A sensitive and loving child, Dion was guided by his grandfather Otis Allan Cooper and being the eldest son, he assumed the role of the ‘man-in-the-family’ from a very young age. It was a role of responsibility and caring he would assume all his life, and one that defined him as a person.

Dion attended Queen’s College (QC) from where he graduated in 1975.  While there he easily made lifelong friends from among not only his classmates but also the faculty.  As a Queen’s College student, Dion was very active in school life where he joined several clubs including the Key Club later serving as president.   He also was in the performing arts club where he played a role in a production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical, Oklahoma. 

In 1976 Dion began his love affair with the hospitality industry when he got a job at Resorts International’s Britannia Beach Hotel and Casino, now the Atlantis Resort, and it is where he would spend his entire working life.  He was born to be a hotelier and committed himself to the industry, the people and to a drive for always delivering exceptional customer service.

Not long after joining the hotel, he enrolled at The Bahamas Hotel Training College or BHTC from where he would attain his associate degree in hospitality management in 1979. 

It was also while at BHTC that he began dating his future wife, Lynda.  They knew each other as fellow QC students. Dion and Lynda would go on to wed in August 1994 and that union produced their only child a little girl they named Brittany-Dioni. 

Dion also has a son Marino Clyde Angelo who was born a few years before his marriage to Lynda. Dion was so very proud of both his children and beamed with pride when talking about them.  Of course, he was also a very proud grandpa as well to Michaela and Judah.

Following his BHTC graduation and recognizing his potential, his employer, Resorts International, sent him to Florida International University (FIU) where he earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Hospitality Management in 1981.  While at FIU, Dion became a member of the Caribbean Students Association.

In 1984 the then minister of Tourism, Sir Clement Maynard had arranged with Trust House Forte, then the owners of the Nassau Beach Hotel, and BHTC for a yearlong management training in the United Kingdom. Following an extensive selection process Dion, along with fellow BHTC graduate Debbie Ferguson, were selected for that prestigious opportunity.

Dion was passionate about and embraced the hospitality industry as his career and pursued all available avenues to ensure his success in it.  In addition to his degree and management training, he never stopped wanting to enhance his knowledge and expertise in all facets of hospitality. One summer he attended further training at Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York.  Cornell was then considered the premier hotel school in the USA with FIU a close second.  He became a Bahama Host in 1982 and was elected as a member of the Hotel, Catering, and Institutional Association in 1990.  He was also a member of the SKAL Club, an international professional organization of tourism leaders.

Dion served in many leadership and management positions for the company including assistant general manager of the Ocean Club and later general manager of Paradise, Paradise, formerly The Beach Inn. It was in 1993 while at Paradise, Paradise that Dion hosted President Nelson Mandela when that world leader visited The Bahamas.  When Sun International acquired the resort in 1994, Dion was one of the hotel executives who served on an executive committee that included Sol & Butch Kerzner that was tasked with developing the company’s mission and vision statements and its core values.  That team came up with the iconic core values of Blow away the customer; Sustainable bottom-line performance; Developing passionate committed people & continuously striving for perfection.

The next few years in his career saw him being made the Atlantis Vice President of Resort Services in 1997.  In 1998 he won the prestigious Cacique Duho award as the country’s Hotelier of the Year.  He later described the Cacique award as his crowning professional achievement.  But he was not done.  Later in 1998 he was elected president of The Bahamas Hotel & Tourism Association and served in that capacity for the years 1998, 1999 and 2000. 

Along with Bahamian legend Sir Durward Knowles, Dion was a founding member of The Queen’s College Foundation.  Dion and the Foundation were the driving force behind the development of the Early Learning Center at Queen’s College. The Queen’s College Foundation continues to this day moving from strength to strength.

In 2002, Dion was appointed Chairman of Nassau Flight Services and was sworn in at Government House by Governor General, Lady Ivy Dumont.

The passion and drive that Dion had for his chosen career was not limited to his career as he had an even higher level of kindness, love and devotion to people.  And his love was not limited to his immediate family.  Dion was the ultimate people person and as a result he collected and nurtured friends everywhere he went.  An encounter with him, no matter who you were, or where you were from or what you did as a career, he made you feel as if you were the most important person he was going to meet and talk with that day.  His heart was bigger than he was, and his love, warmth and charm knew no boundaries. 

Dion served his church, Ascension Methodist Church on East Prince Charles Drive with excellence. He was instrumental in reducing the church’s debt, which was a great feat for Ascension. He served in various capacities, the last being Assistant Congregational Board Chair to Mrs. Rosalie Hall. He had a great vision for his church’s growth, his main desire up to the time of his passing was to see Ascension in an official church building with a steeple. He, along with the late Rev. Godfrey Bethel and late Mr. Kenneth Carey often discussed having the plans drawn up for the new sanctuary.

Dion was honoured in 2016 by his church for his commitment and outstanding service. He was passionate about singing and would often assist the choir on special occasions rendering the solo part or a duet. Psalm 34 sung by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir was his favorite, he would play it all day and night, Brittany-Dioni and I would often join in with the singing, many times we had our own version of praise and worship at home. Dion had a personal relationship with his God, often heard repeating Psalm 23 and then singing another favorite hymn, Pass Me Not O Gentle Saviour, hear my humble cry, while on others thou art calling, do not pass me by. This brought such peace to his spirit and consolation to his soul. Many nights Brittany-Dioni and I would read psalms to him and sing all the praise and worship songs we listened to during our long Sunday evening drives. There is no doubt in my mind that Dion is resting in the arms of Jesus.

It was in March 2006 while holding the position of Resort Services Vice President, board member of the Queen’s College Foundation and Chairman of Nassau Flight Services that Dion suffered a massive stroke that threatened to take his life.  However, as his work on Earth was not yet done, he survived but it left him unable to continue his career and work as he was accustomed to doing.  Forced to find alternative ways to keep in touch, and with his mind as sharp as before his illness, he continued his personal and professional relationships to encourage, and to mentor primarily using email and the telephone.

Over the past few years, Dion endured several health episodes that would require hospitalization.  On Monday, February 20th he was admitted to hospital and at 2am on Wednesday, March 8th he left us and went on to his heavenly reward.