And now it's Dame Jennifer
Former Premier Jennifer Smith has been made a Dame in the Queen's Birthday Honours List 2005.
Meanwhile physician Dr. George Bertram McPhee, ED and top cricketer Mr. Dennis Arlen Wainwright have been made Members of the Order of the British Empire.
And six other Bermuda residents were given the Queen's Certificate and Badge of Honour - Merle Doars, David Lambert Jr. Sister Judith Rollo, Clement Talbot, Palmer Wade and Elmore Warren.
Jennifer Smith joins former party leader and mentor Dame Lois Browne Evans in getting a Damehood. Dame Jennifer Meredith Smith was the first Bermuda Progressive Labour Party leader to win a general election. She followed it by winning her party a second term five years later but resigned as leader days after the election following a revolt by 11 of the 22 newly-elected PLP Members of Parliament.
She remains the Member of Parliament for St. George's North and serves as the first female Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly.
When contacted last night, Dame Jennifer said: “I am most grateful for being bestowed this honour by the governor, on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen, the Government and the people of Bermuda.”
Dame Jennifer added that she is “mindful” that all former Premiers are given knighthoods and that it is not just for her alone but everyone who supported her, particularly her parents, family and the Progressive Labour Party.
“This honour will serve as recognition of the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party's historic first election victory and therefore, it belong to all those, past and present, who helped to make that victory possible.”
In 1972 she was the youngest woman to run in a General Election, in 1980 she was the first woman appointed to the Senate and the youngest member at that time.
She became known as an effective and articulate Progressive Labour Party spokesperson for Education, Health and Social Services, Youth, Sports and Recreation and Culture.
She was elected to Parliament in 1989. She was the first PLP Minister of Education, a portfolio she relinquished to devote more time to her role as Premier.
Achievements in office include constitutional change that resulted in the establishment of single-seat constituencies. Dame Jennifer has won a host of international awards but remains active in the community with membership of a variety of worthy groups and has taken a great interest in the arts.
For more than 50 years, Dr. McPhee has gone beyond the call of his professional duties as a physician to extend consideration to the less fortunate and elderly.
Dr. McPhee set up a family practice in Bermuda in 1955 and had several appointments at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital. He introduced CPR training to Bermuda and has taken courses in geriatric medicine to care for seniors.
In 1986, he was appointed physician in charge of the Extended Care Unit of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital where he served for ten years until mandatory retirement at the age of 70.
Since his retirement from KEMH, Dr. McPhee has continued his private practice in geriatrics and family medicine on a part-time basis.
Dennis Wainwright is one of Bermuda's most outstanding all-round sportsmen.
He was the best wicketkeeper Bermuda has produced and rated by Sir Garfield Sobers of the West Indies and Tom Graveney of England as one of the best in the world.
Mr. Wainwright was also a top goalkeeper and played with a number of local clubs, helping them to win league titles and cups. He represented Bermuda for many years and was Bermuda's first double international, representing Bermuda as a football player and cricketer at the same time.
He gained his first football cap against Jamaica and was on the team that won the Silver Medal at the Pan Am Games in Winnipeg, Canada in 1967. In the art of jiu-jitsu, he has achieved a brown belt.
At the end of his active playing years he gave back to the community through sports administration and has won numerous awards for developing and advancing bodybuilding in Bermuda.
Retired from a long career in the hotel industry, he now spends many hours with a group of retirees like himself going around to Bermuda's schools helping children read and giving presentations on the importance of values and good character.
Merle Doars started working at her mother's nursery when she was still in her teens, and has more than 40 years experience in the teaching profession. She spent several years at the Strawberry Hill Nursery near Harbour Road, Paget before the school transitioned to St. Michael's Church Hall in 1984. She spent 20 years at the St. Michael's Church Hall location, until last year when the school was forced to close but she then helped open the Busy Bees Nursery on Khyber Pass in Warwick.
David Lambert, Bermuda's “tennis ambassador” won his first junior tournament at the age of 11 and he went on to represent Bermuda internationally at tournaments as a member of successive Davis Cup Teams before he was elected President of the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association.
Under his leadership Bermuda won its divisions in 1997 and 2000.
In 1992 he was elected President of the Bermuda Professional Tennis Association and he immediately implemented clinics and coaching sessions for tournament players and local coaches. As a consequence of this work many coaches were able to upgrade their skills and acquire certification.
Originally from Boston, Sister Judith Marie Rollo came to Bermuda 1968 where she taught at Mount Saint Agnes for seven years. In 1980, Sister Judith became principal of the Mount Saint Agnes high school division where she has worked tirelessly to provide a quality education in a loving and caring environment. Her ultimate driving force during her 35 years at Mount Saint Agnes has been to touch the hearts of the children committed to her care and to teach them to be good members of society.
Mr. Clement Talbot is a man who is committed to doing his part to make his community a better place for everyone.
The veteran banker currently serves as the Chairman of the Ross “Blackie” Talbot Charity Classic an event which brings Bermudians, residents and corporate sponsors together to play golf.
In the 13 years since its inception, more than $1.5 million has been raised and disbursed throughout the community.
When Hurricane Fabian carved a path of destruction across Bermuda two years ago Mr. Talbot negotiated with Lowes in the US to import 1,000 generators that were shipped to Bermuda via charter jet and distributed to needy families at cost from a warehouse on Mill Creek.
Under the direction of Education Minister Terry Lister, Mr. Talbot headed up the fundraising committee that raised $1.2 million that underwrote the successful Smithsonian Folklife Festival that was held in Washington DC. Mr. Talbot continued his service as a Trustee of the Smithsonian Folklife Bermuda Connection Trust.
Actively involved in youth and community activities for a number of decades, Leon Palmer Wade was a scout master for the First Hamilton Sea Scouts and the St. Alban's Sea Scouts for many years.
In 1937, along with other Sea Scout leaders, he accompanied the first ever representatives to the World Sea Scout Jamboree in Washington DC.
Mr. Wade is an avid sportsman and is one of the oldest surviving Cup Match players and in 1963 was honoured for his bravery in saving a young man from drowning.
He also received honours from the Devonshire and Hamilton Seventh Day Adventist Blue Bird Pathfinder Clubs, both of which he served as Director in the 1970s.
Mr. Wade co-hosted, with his father, Carl P. Wade, Bermuda's longest running religious radio broadcast Religion through the Years, serving as director from 1950 to the 1990s, and has played key leadership roles in his local church.
Elmore Warren founded Fresh Creations Ltd. in 1993 to produce television programming, corporate videos, commercials and live video recordings for the Bermuda market. Within two years, the fledgeling company had established a niche audience for Al & Chrif's Original Video Show which became ashowcase for localwriters, musicians and performers.
Fresh TV was launched in May 2003, featuring local programming and providing an avenue for aspiring television producers. Mr. Warren has also produced a number of community events.