Funeral services will be held for well-known businessman Benjamin Rego today at St. Paul's Church in Paget.

A pioneer of the real estate industry, Mr. Rego passed away last Monday at the age of 70.

He is survived by his two children, four grand-children and three siblings.

Son Benjamin (Buddy) Rego Jr. saidhis father should be remembered as "Bermuda's most staunch optimist".

He was a member of the Sandys Rotary Club and a supporter of the National Trust, King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and the National Gallery.

"He did so much politically and socially," Mr. Rego said. "He was a wonderful patriotic person."

His father started Rego Realty - the oldest and longest serving real estate agency in Bermuda - in 1949, he said. "He was a stalwart in that industry."

According to a biography prepared on Mr. Rego for his services today, he made his first real estate deal at the age of 15.

By that time, he had already been working in the industry for three years and as his sales continued to mount, he had to employ others over the age of 21 to sign off on his documents legally.

He was involved in the creation of a number of developments including Rocklands, Forest Hills, Riviera Estate, Coral Acres, Beverley Hills, Warwickshire Estate and Pink Sands.