Leroy 'Duke' Hanna, a well respected former trade unionist and former Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) senator, died in his sleep early Saturday, his family confirmed. Hanna was 78. He celebrated the birthday of his wife Joan on Friday, according to his daughter Margo Blackwell.

Hanna was a former president of the National Congress of Trade Unions of The Bahamas (NCTUB). "All presidents, general secretaries, executive officers of the various affiliates, it was with profound shock and sadness that we learnt of the death of Leroy 'Duke' Hanna, first president of the NCTUB," the union said in a statement.

Blackwell said Hanna was one of the most civic-minded people she knew. "He was a big man in many ways," she said. "With him passing on there is a huge void. "My mum, who has been his life partner, she's really sad. Her birthday was on the Friday, so he stayed long enough to have a beautiful birthday with her and then he passed in the early morning." Blackwell said the family hopes to bury Hanna on August 31.

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