Nathaniel Bastian was born in Mangrove Cay, Andros to Nathan and Mildred Bastian on Sept 16, 1940. He went to high school at the Mangrove Cay All Age School where he graduated and later relocated to Nassau, Bahamas to pursue higher education. He went on to earn a psychiatric nursing degree through studies at the Princess Margaret Hospital and later traveled to Barbados for additional training in the same specialty. Nathaniel worked as a skilled psychiatric nurse at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Center for more than 25 years and retired due to illness in 1998.
In his own small way, Tanny contributed positively to nation building and the development of the Bahamas. Any opportunity he had to impart knowledge to anyone, you could rest assured that he did. His aim was to see the younger generation striving for excellence, no matter what station they held in life. Honor and integrity were hallmark words in his vocabulary.
Nathaniel was a hard-working man that always wanted the best for his family and did not mind taking on multiple jobs to support his family. While working as a nurse, he also became an enrollee in the one of the first reservist class of the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Here he graduated from this class and worked alternate night and day shifts as a police reservist while continuing his nursing position at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Center and caring for his family. In addition to this he also made time to help out family and friends with building their homes, farming and attending his kid's tennis matches, and dance programs. Education was important to Nathanial and he wanted to make sure that his children focused on their education and completing school and for those that elected to do so, continue onto college and university.
He was involved in the Christ the King Choir and enjoyed the every opportunity to worship and praise the Lord. He loved to sing, often you would hear him singing somewhere or getting together with his brother Anthony to play and instrument and entertain others. He was a fun loving, pleasant and happy sole that lived with a level of grace rarely seen in others today. He would love to be remembered as someone who loved life, never complained, only saw the good in others and saw every new day as a blessing. "Thank God for another day" he would say.
He was the son of a fisherman and enjoyed fishing, gardening and just helping out where he could. He always wanted to be doing something, whether that was helping someone perform repairs, painting a house, growing vegetables or fruits and of course going fishing. But you knew if he grew peas, potatoes, cassava or caught some snappers, he would share it with family and friends.
Nathaniel is preceded in death by his /her mother and father, Nathan and Mildred Bastian, who are waiting to welcome him into Heaven.
Nathaniel is survived by his wife of 50 years Frances Cecile Bastian and his children Maurice Bastian, Mario Bastian, Marie Bastian, Mechelle Warner, Nathanya Bastian and his daughter-in-law Wavney Brathwaite-Bastian and son-in-law Alrick V Warner. Nathaniel will also be profoundly missed by his loving brothers and sisters Anthony Bastian, Zeebedee Bastian, Alfred Bastian, Paul Bastian, Eulalie Bastian, Emily Bastian and Margery Majorie Bastian.
Maurice Bastian Jr., Tatianna Bastian, Jadon Sweeting, Najah Bastian, Marley Bastian, the grandchildren of Nathaniel, those old enough will remember him with love. The younger ones will be told stories of their grandfather, of his love for his family, fishing trips, fried fish, all things Bahamian and the love of God.