Dear Sir,

Because of circumstances beyond my control, in 2016 when my old friend John Phipps passed away, I had not written about how well he had been in various aspects of life in Bermuda.

We had known each other from birth (Glebe Road). We did various things alike. We became construction workers, carpenters, musicians playing tenor saxophones in the harmony sections in big dance bands in the large hotels.

We had worked for large construction companies on the Kindley US Naval Air Base. I left there to start my own carpentry shop.

After a number of years, he surprised me by telling me that he had been promoted to superintendent of contract jobs in Nigeria, providing accommodation for politicians, other contracts, and providing administration buildings in Panama and Saudi Arabia. These activities were the pride of Bermuda.

ROSS TUZO