David Neal Wakely

WAKELY, David “Dave” a resident of Belleair, passed away peacefully on September 15, 2022. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 58 years, Frances Beury Wakely. He is survived by his four children, Susan Pike (Dan), Jane Hernke (Todd), Kathy Ryan (Greg), and Steven Wakely (Lara), and his seven grandchildren, Bryan Pike, Sammi Shay (Connor), Carter Ryan (Mallory), Elise Hernke, Bryce Hernke, Ryan Wakely and Caroline Wakely and great grandchild, Owen Shay. He was very proud of his family and considered them his finest achievement. He is also survived by his dear friend and companion Ginger Karagas.

Dave grew up in a small town in northwest Ohio. He studied actuarial science and graduated from the University of Michigan with the highest scholastic average in the School of Business Administration in 1957. He began his career with a large actuarial firm in Atlanta, Georgia in 1957. He became a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries in 1959. He completed his law degree at Emory University in 1965.

The family moved to Clearwater in 1966 and he started the actuarial firm of Wakely and Associates. In 1968 he was elected President of the Southeastern Actuaries Club. In 1984 he started a life reinsurance company, Southern Financial Life Insurance Company. He was an original investor in a Clearwater Beach Development Company and Sea Wake, Inc, which owned and operated several hotels.

Dave enjoyed golf, card playing, reading and travel . He was a member of Belleair Country Club and the Privateers. Among his civic commitments, Dave served as Chairman of the Board of Morton Plant Hospital, as a Board Member of both St. Paul’s School and Clearwater Central Catholic H.S., and as President of the Belleair Country Club.

The family asks dad’s friends to join them in the Belle Terrace Room at the Belleair Country Club on October 21st anytime between 5 pm and 7 pm for a casual open house type gathering to meet the family and share memories. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either the Salvation Army or Suncoast Hospice.