FOR he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow, and so say all of us.

That's the refrain of an old song sung with repetitive gusto and rising voices by generations of 'oddfellows' when, full of themselves at their banquets, when honouring someone extra special in their midst.

With a slight variation of the theme, that's the tribute paid to Mrs. Evelyn Smith of North Shore Road, Pembroke, who took time out from her busy schedule to be a guest at the Christmas party organised by the Loyal Mayflower (Sisters) Lodge of the Independent Order of Manchester Unity Oddfellows for brothers and sisters of the Order as well as guests from kindred societies. The lodge is situated on corner of Union and Victoria Streets.

Two nights later Mrs. Smith, who will celebrate her 100th birthday the next time around, took the spotlight again, this time when the Household of Ruth, of which she has been a life-long member, as was her mother before her, held their Christmas party in conjunction with the brothers of Alexandrina Lodge of the Grand United Order of Oddfellows, just east of the drive-in bank, Court Street.

And the grand old lady was out again, the very next night, attending the annual Christmas Candlelight Service at the Old Devonshire Parish Church.

Mrs. Smith, a devout Anglican Church member, belongs to St. Monica's Church Guild and is a member of the Bermuda Nursing Association

To round things out for Mrs. Smith during this Yuletide, she has been packing her bags for a flight to South Carolina

She will attend the graduation of her great grand-daughter Samantha from the College of Charleston, South Carolina. Samantha is majoring in psychology with a minor in law.

There was a time when practically everyone in Bermuda either knew her through her career jobs or her extremely popular husband, the late Gerald Leroy Smith, head bartender at the Leopard's Club International.

Mrs. Smith is the mother of two daughters, Emmie Lou Givens, a long-time resident of South Carolina, and Rodell Smith. Rodell has accompanied her mother on all of her recent outings.

Memorial services honour 'Chicken'

IT was nearly six months ago that George William Earlston Tuzo, the man who was known far and wide as "Chicken" Tuzo was laid to rest. He passed away on July 1, 2005 a month after celebrating his 75th birthday.

Although we never found out why he merited the nickname "Chicken", there was nothing at all chicken about him in the common vernacular of the word.

In fact, he was as audacious as he was genial; a genuine brother and a ruler on many fraternal fronts, whether as a Freemason, a Past Noble Oddfellow or as a Commander in the Order of Good Samaritans. "Chicken" was just likeable. He loved to laugh, was quick-witted, and in a humorous way let one know that he was always right and never wrong.

Freemasonry was his greatest absorption. He was a Past Master of Hannibal Lodge 224 in St. George's, on the Grand Registry of Ireland; an officer of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Bermuda. Over and above all of that, there would be few if any Bermudian Freemason who was more widely travelled than Earlston George "Chicken". Tales about his travels are legion, genuinely forthcoming from Brethren as far away at New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and Caribbean.

Last week top figures from the Grand Lodge of New Jersey converged on Morristown, New Jersey, where Cincinnati Lodge No. 3, F and A M of New Jersey, convened two memorial services, one traditional and the other Masonic in honour of "Chicken". He was a member in great standing, of that Lodge, whose history dates from the year 1803. He was also affiliated as a Shriner with Salaam Shrine A.A.O.N.M.S.

A delegation of nearly 30 from Bermuda journeyed to Cincinnati Lodge for the events that were followed by a buffet. They included members and some spouses from his Mother Lodge, Hannibal, his wife of 53 years, Mrs. Valeria Tuzo, her daughters and some grandchildren. Glowing tributes were paid to "Chicken". He was eulogised as a 'fabulous' guy; a "great, great Free Mason".

The Rt. Wor. Richard (Dick) Cadmus, who was charged with arranging the memorial, described Tuzo as "a great ambassador for Freemasonry. He was one of my dearest friends."

Three Grand Masters of the State of New Jersey Grand Lodge participated. They were Most Wor. Bob Miller, Ross Vanespere and J. Vanden Berghe, Sr. Officiating at the service was the Rt. Wor. Rev. Dr. R. Eugene Hill, a Past Master of Alpha and Cincinnati Lodges. Other participants included R. Wor. Glen Visscher and J. Foreberger, also of Celestial Lodge. The Masonic Funeral Oration was rendered by M. Wor. R.L. Miller.

Brethren from Hannibal paying tribute included V. Wor. Sam Johansen, former Warden of Pilots Keith Batersbee and Ridgeley Darrell.

It was Tuzo's befriending of Dick Cadmus many years ago that firmly established the Bermuda connection with Cincinnati Lodge. Each year since then delegations of from 20 to 30 Brethren, accompanied by spouses from New Jersey travel to Bermuda in January to attend a series of lodge installations, beginning with that of Hannibal; and in the summer many take an organised cruise to Bermuda. Reciprocal visits to Cincinnati Lodge are made annually by Bermudians.

Tuzo loved to travel. His first ocean trip was at age seven aboard the liner Queen of Bermuda to New York with his grandmother. His globe-trotting, mainly as a Free Mason, took him all over the United States, Canada to Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, many parts of the Caribbean, England, Scotland, Wales and mainland Europe.

Earlston's wife Valeria, in her own right, has been active in various lodges and associated societies, The couple were married 53 years ago, confirmed and lifelong active members of St. Mary's Church. Their union produced three children, Elvina, Elyria and Glenn; also grandchildren Marcia, Marcal, Shena, Lericio, Marcello, Marshlene and Tiffani; and great grandchild Toyo. Earlston was the only son of the late Frances Leonora Tuzo Flood and the late Walter Welch. His early education was at Hinson's School, Devonshire. After an apprenticeship at The Royal Gazette he went to New York Trade School. On his return home he pursued a career in the General Post Office, with intermittent breaks in the summer to crew aboard various Furness-Withy liners on the New York-Bermuda circuit.