Funeral services were announced yesterday for Robert M. Coard, a charismatic force in Boston neighborhoods who for 40 years led antipoverty efforts as chief executive of Action for Boston Community Development. Mr. Coard, 82 and a resident of West Roxbury, died Tuesday.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at Emmanuel Episcopal Church on Newbury Street in Boston. Burial will be in Forest Hills Cemetery in Boston.
Reaction to Mr. Coard’s death could be heard yesterday from a diverse group of admirers.
“He was a marvelous advocate for the neediest and the underserved in our society,’’ said Juan Cofield, president of the New England Area Conference of the NAACP.
Boston political strategist Joyce Ferriabough-Bolling said Mr. Coard was an early mentor with a keen grasp of politics.
“He was as at ease with Republicans as he was with Democrats, as long as he got the services for people who were marginalized,’’ she said. “He was not a show-offy kind of guy. He was a background player, but you did not want him for an adversary. He had the best political mind.’’
Mr. Coard leaves a legacy of better living for hundreds of thousands, she said. “There’s so many stories of lives that Bob has touched at every level,’’ she said.
In addition to leading the ABCD for decades and pushing for increased funding for many facets of life in Boston, including Boston City Hospital and the Ted Williams Tunnel, Mr. Coard oversaw the creation of Greater Boston Legal Services in 1971.
He also had a pivotal role in opening one of the first community health centers in the nation at Columbia Point, followed by more health centers in Boston.
Yesterday, the Boston City Council closed its meeting in memory of Mr. Coard. He was “an angel of mercy to people without in the city,’’ said Councilor at Large Stephen J. Murphy. “Bob Coard did so much for so many in this city with so little.’’
Added Councilor at Large John R. Connolly, “Bob Coard was one of those people who was the backbone of this city.’’
Councilor Charles C. Yancey gave credit to his diplomacy, describing Mr. Coard as “the best politician the city ever had.’’