Memorial service to be held for Fletcher ‘Flash' Wiley, trailblazing Black attorney in Boston
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'I hope that all of us can look to follow in Flash's good footsteps, in terms of ... working to make life better for people,' Healey said.
The
Raised in Indianapolis, Wiley made history well before settling in Boston,
Higher education brought Wiley to Boston in the 1970s, and after he earned master's and law degrees from Harvard University, Boston became his new home.
A mutual acquaintance introduced him to former architect L. Duane Jackson, and they became close friends. They both chose to purchase homes in the Highland Park section of Roxbury together, living side-by-side for more than a decade, and were always trying to best one another in a basketball game.
'Those relationships have literally lasted for 50 years,' Jackson, a managing member for Alinea Capital Partners LLC, said. 'Boston was rather hostile, so we would rekindle our energy, rekindle our spirit.'
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Wiley was a founding partner of Budd, Reilly, and Wiley, which was then the largest minority-dominant law
firm in New England, and in turn, one of the largest minority-dominant firms in the nation.
The attorney also tapped into government affairs, advocacy work, and charity causes throughout his decades-long career. In 1984, Wiley created the governor's Commission on Minority Business Development. A decade later, he made history as the first Black chairman of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.
Carol Fulp, former president and CEO of The Partnership, Inc., a professional services nonprofit that the Wileys have close ties to, said the late leader taught her to navigate sectors that were new to her. She remembered that he approached his work 'with ease.'
'We cannot imagine a time when the business community did not know him,' Fulp said. 'Everyone wants to be a Flash Wiley, but there's only one Flash Wiley.'
Deborah Jackson, former president of Cambridge College, said Wiley always centered his family before his civic and business contributions. Some of her favorite memories are Wiley singing The Temptations' song 'My Girl' to his wife, Bennie, at birthday celebrations.
'People know him as Flash the singer, Flash the basketball player, Flash the businessman,' Jackson said. 'It's so important to know Flash was an amazing husband and father, [too].'
Wiley is survived by his wife, longtime business leader Benaree Wiley, brother Keith Wiley, sister-in-law Sharon Pratt Kelly; and his
son Pratt and his partner Jesse, as well his daughter B.J. and her husband Les.
Travis Andersen of the Globe Staff contributed, and material from prior Globe stories was used in this report. This story will be updated.
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