Clyde Sotomey's Obituary
Clyde Griffiths Sotomey, born Kwami Sotomey, came to this earth on March 6, 1965, in Accra, Ghana. He passed away at the age of 59 on June 12, 2024, at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland, California.
Clyde had called the Bay Area his home for more than 30 years, with short stays in London and New York City when he first left Ghana in the 1980s and Atlanta, GA in the early 2000s. Clyde was an entrepreneur at heart and enjoyed supporting the goals and passions of those close to him. Most of all, he had a deep love and commitment to his family, especially his wife, Sheila, and son, Simon.
Clyde was the second oldest of eight children and brought a ton of joy to his family. From a young age, he was the kind of person everyone loved to be around. He had a knack for making others smile and always knew how to have a good time. Clyde was sharp and never shied away from taking risks. He had clear goals and the courage to chase after his dreams with gusto.
With his big personality, Clyde was a natural social butterfly. He was always the life of the party, making friends wherever his journey took him. His big heart and generous spirit left a lasting impression on everyone he met. Plus, he took great pride in looking his best, always presenting himself with style and confidence.
Clyde graduated from Hunter College, NY with a BS in Economics, which laid the foundation for a 30+ year career in management and ownership/principal leadership within the private and public hospitality fields, including the Claremont Resort and Spa in Berkeley and at the Parc in Oakland. Clyde spent 9 years in various key management positions at Doral Hotels & Resorts/Carol Management/Carol Publishing Group. Clyde and his brother Julian were co-founders and owners of an iconic award-winning 40,000 square foot restaurant and hospitality facility, ‘The Oaktree’, in Oakland’s Jack London Square. The Oaktree quickly became a popular Oakland hotspot, visited by many famous and influential people including Danny Glover, Maya Angelou, Jamie Fox, Jerry Rice, Ice Cube, Shaquille O'Neal, Coolio, E-40, and at the time was the official party spot for the then Oakland Raiders.
When it was time to move on from the nightlife, Clyde spent 2 years during his career as an analyst with San Francisco boutique investment firm Coast Partners Securities. In the early 2010s, Clyde served as a deacon at Piedmont Community Church. Up until his passing, Clyde served as a guest lecturer at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University, he also participated in speaking engagements and investment forums at the Anderson School of Business at UCLA. Clyde’s current business venture was focused on the development of a luxury hotel in his home country of Ghana.
While living in the Bay Area, he met his wife, Sheila while he was passing out flyers for The Oaktree, in Oakland. As their relationship progressed, Clyde moved in with Sheila and her two daughters, Jamileh & Katherine, and soon later welcomed a son, Simon - who he named after his father and brother. For many years, this was Clyde’s immediate family until Jamileh married her husband Michael in 2012 and her stepson moved to the Bay Area, often spending his summers with Grandma Sheila and Grandpa Clyde and Clyde being his after-school ride.
When Clyde wasn’t working, he loved reading books and magazines, staying up-to-date on current events by watching MSNBC, listening to NPR, and spending time connecting with friends & family who are here in the US and those who live abroad. He loved to celebrate special occasions by going out to dinner with family. Some of his favorite foods to eat out included a whole fried fish from the Kendejah Restaurant Food Truck, fufu from Ruth’s Buka in Oakland, and Italian food from Sotto Mare Oysteria & Seafood Restaurant in San Francisco. At home, he loved Sheila’s cooking, especially when she would make salmon, pasta, or beef stew. Clyde enjoyed various genres of music but he was most proud and excited to listen to the Ghanaian National Anthem, as his birthday fell on the same day as the country's Independence Day.
Clyde lived with serious chronic illness and ailments for 20 years and was on dialysis for the last 5 years. Clyde did not share about what he was going through with many. Even those of us closest to him are learning new things every day about what he endured and undertook to take care of himself so that he could take care of his family. And despite it all, he remained positive and hopeful, with many sharing that he served as a motivating force for them in their darkest moments.
Clyde is predeceased by his father, Simon Sotomey. He is survived by his wife, Sheila Morrison, son, Simon Sotomey, mother, Cecilia Provencal, seven siblings, Afi Oteng, Julian Sotomey, Simon Sotomey, Dianne Sotomey, Kevin Sotomey, Suzanne Sotomey, Keith Sotomey, his step-daughters, Jamileh and Katherine Ebrahimi, son-in-law, Michael Guzman Perez and grandson, Michael Guzman Mateo.
Funeral service arrangements will be held on July 30, 2024,11am at Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland, California.
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