Tributes have been paid to Olympia Corrent, the daughter of labour leader Dr. E.F Gordon and sister of former Premier Pamela Gordon, who was found dead on Saturday.

Ms Corrent, 64, was found by relatives at the home where she lived alone in Victoria Street, Hamilton.

Police believe she had been dead for some time, and an autopsy is pending into her death.

She was the eldest of five children that Dr. Gordon had with his long-term partner Mildred Layne.

Former Premier Dame Pamela was the youngest, and the other sister is Patricia Gordon-Pamplin, a United Bermuda Party MP. The couple also had sons Edgar and Keith.

Ms Corrent worked as an activist for the United Bermuda Party and once served as chairman of the Pembroke East Central branch.

She has one son, Dr. Claudio Corrent, from her marriage to Luigi Corrent. Dr. Corrent lives in Italy.

Ms Corrent had a long career in the hospitality industry and spoke several languages, including Italian, fluently.

Paying tribute last night, Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin said: "She was instrumental in my involvement in politics when she made me the deputy chair of the Pembroke East Central branch of the UBP in the mid to late eighties.

She had successfully assisted Lawson Mapp and Bobby Barritt in their gaining seats in the House of Assembly for the UBP when the area was a PLP stronghold.

"She was intelligent, articulate, multilingual and adventuresome. She lived in places as far afield as Mexico, The Bahamas, Switzerland, London, Italy, Zaire and Monrovia, Liberia.

"She loved the hospitality industry and during a time when she worked at La Trattoria, people would marvel at her fluency in Italian as she would converse with co-workers and clients alike."

Mr. Mapp said: "I'm saddened to learn of the death of my good friend. I first met this talented lady at Fourways Inn where she worked as a receptionist and I was the bartender in the lounge.

"Later we became close friends and in 1985 she was extremely helpful to Robert Barritt and myself canvassing Pembroke East Central."

Mr. Mapp said Ms Corrent became "somewhat withdrawn" from society in her later years.

He remembers her fondly as someone with a taste for clothes and accessories from the Ceciles and Louis Vuitton boutiques.

"She was a good soul. It's sad she was found like that," he said.

According to Mr. Barritt, Ms Corrent sometimes experienced criticism from members of the public when out canvassing for the United Bermuda Party, since her father was such a prominent labour figure.

"Many didn't agree with her position because of that, but she was a good gal and could stand up to all of them," said Mr Barritt.

He added: "She was a very active and first-class worker with us during the elections. She had a terrific sense of humour."

Another friend, Pat Ferguson, said: "She was a bright spark. She was a people lover, she was very witty and she was fluent in about four languages.

"She was just a nice person to be around. We had lots of fun and used to go out for dinner together every Friday and sometimes Sunday.

"But you get older and you don't see people the way you used to. I'm shocked and very sad about her untimely death."

United Bermuda Party Senate Leader Jeanne Atherden said the party was "deeply saddened" by the news.

"Ms. Corrent was an integral part of the United Bermuda Party team that successfully elected Robert Barritt and Lawson Mapp in 1985; she was the first of the three Gordon sisters to make an invaluable contribution to the United Bermuda Party," she said.

"Personally, I remember Olympia from Central School days and I was sorry to hear the news. Our prayers go out to the Gordon family on their loss."

A Bermuda Police Service spokesman said: "Ms. Corrent's lifeless body was initially found by family members around 12.15 p.m on Saturday at a Victoria Street, Pembroke residence and Police officers subsequently attended the scene.

An autopsy is anticipated in due course. The Bermuda Police Service extends condolences to the family and friends of the deceased."