An advocate for the arts and a “driving force” in the founding of the Bermuda Mental Health Foundation has died aged 85.

Stanley Chetkowski also helped launch the Bermuda Film Festival in 1997, and served as treasurer of the Bermuda Festival of the Performing Arts from 1979 to 2001.

The BMHF issued a statement yesterday calling him “a strong advocate on mental health issues” who wanted to broaden the support available in the community.

He cofounded the charity, which launched in 1994.

A longstanding officer and director at the BMHF, Mr Chetkowski was “instrumental” in fundraising for the Foundation to purchase housing for people dealing with mental illness.

Born in Wilmington, Delaware, Mr Chetkowski joined the US Marine Corps in 1952.

He served as infantry sergeant in Korea until his honourable discharge in 1957.

He obtained a chartered public accountant designation after graduating with honours from the University of Delaware, and began his accountancy career at Coopers and Lybrand in Philadelphia.

Mr Chetkowski moved to Bermuda and became deputy general manager at the Bank of Bermuda.

He also worked for the law firm Conyers until his retirement in 1995.

He and his wife Dorothy had two daughters, Kathy and Jane, both of whom survive him.

In 2005, Mr Chetkowski moved to Florida to be closer to family, and met his companion, Theodora “Kim” Graham and her son, Theodore.

His obituary said the couple enjoyed “a robust life of arts, theatre and music”.

He died at home in Naples, Florida after a decade-long battle with cancer.

⋅ Stanley Francis Chetkowski, a cofounder of the Bermuda Mental Health Foundation, was born on August 21, 1935. He died on May 17, 2021. Mr Chetkowski was 85.