Scores turned out this week to pay their last tributes to a well-respected farmer and devoted family man who died at the age of 60.

Gerry Wilmot, who had run Wilmot Farm in Warwick for more than 20 years after taking it over from his father, passed away on March 31.

On Tuesday, family, friends and colleagues filled St Mary’s Church in Warwick to say a final farewell to the popular goat farmer.

His wife Aletha told The Royal Gazette that the turnout was a fitting tribute to her husband, who was dedicated to his work.

“Gerry was a very kind-hearted person,” she said. “He never had a ‘no’ in his book. He was always helpful to everyone and he loved his job. He was a farmer through and through.

“His goats were always his first priority.”

Mr Wilmot grew up on Wilmot Farm on Cedar Hill along with his eight other siblings.

As a child he often helped his father John around the farm, which was mainly dedicated to pigs.

In 1984 he met his wife, Aletha, and the couple married two years later and went on to have a son, Gerry.

Mr Wilmot took over the farm after his father died and changed the focus to goats, bringing in animals from Texas. He went on to become one of the first farmers to commercially sell goat’s milk in Bermuda.

Fellow farmer Tom Wadson said: “Gerry was a very keen farmer and a really nice guy.

“He always got the job done and put in the hours. When he decided he was going to do something he would go deep.

“He also did a lot of other stuff in the community, too — he was involved in a pretty big way with the creation of the Fairmont Southampton Golf Course.

“Gerry was the kind of guy who was always happy to help others.”

Milson Walker, who worked with Mr Wilmot for 25 years, described the farmer as a “great friend”.

He added: “He was a really nice guy. He had fun in his job and he was very passionate about the work on the farm.

“I have worked with Gerry for so long I can’t really believe he has gone.

“He took me in when I first came to Bermuda and we had some good times together — we always had something to chat about.”