Leading Government and political figures joined family and friends from near and far in paying last respects at St. James' Church, Somerset, to Dennis Eugene Lister.

Whilst he had the distinction of having his two sons and a brother serving in simultaneous time-frames as Cabinet Ministers, Mr. Lister in his own right commanded wide respect for the tone and pattern he set as a committed family man, entrepreneur, church and community servant, along with his wife Marion, who survives.

Mr. Lister was a trusted adviser to the late Bishop Goodwin Smith of the New Testament Church of God, Hamilton, serving on a number of boards, and when the church expanded to Somerset he took on roles of responsibility there. In more recent times he and his wife worshipped at the White Hill Gospel Chapel.

Their sons are Minister of Energy, Telecommunications and E-Commerce Terry Lister and Sandys North Central MP Dennis Lister, a former Minister of Youth & Sports and also Works & Engineering. Brother Walter Lister, the Sandys South Central, was a Minister without Portfolio.

Premier Ewart Brown, who attended the funeral along with fellow Cabinet Ministers, came directly from the airport to the church after having rushed from Jamaica, where three days earlier he had attended the funeral of his aunt.

Mr. Lister was born on January 25, 1935. He died in Atlanta on September 28, 2008 the day after attending the commencement exercises of his granddaughter.

The second son of James and Edith Lister of Heathcote Hill, Somerset, Dennis attended the nearby Tin Top School, which was a stone's throw from the family home, and the West End School. There he got a grounding in the 3 Rs that stood him in good stead for the rest of his life.

Both ambitious and industrious, after having to leave school at age 13, and through the ethic of self-help, in later life he worked as an accountant, landscaper, plumber, contractor, a tiler and painter.

By the age 24 he had built his first duplex on the family's Heathcote Hill estate.

Dennis was aged 19 when he took as his bride 17-year-old Marion Lightbourne of Warwick.

The three children of the 54-year marriage are the two Assemblymen and Gina Lister. Dennis was predeceased by his older brother, Chief Police Inspector Allan Lister. His siblings in addition to MP Walter Lister are David Lister, who makes his home in Florida, and Joy Lister Sticca.

The three-hour service at St. James' Church was conducted by Deacon Paul Ross and Pastor Marlon Allers. The latter, considered as his 'Spiritual Son', came home from Chattanooga, Tennessee where he is senior pastor of Lookout Valley Church of God.

Others who came to Bermuda from abroad, whom Dennis and Marion Lister had met and inspired in their wide travels were, from South Africa, Elder and Mrs. Gerald Masdrop, who delivered words of comfort at the 'view service' at White Hill Gospel Hall; from England came Mrs. Jackie Robinson and from St. Kitts came Mrs. Doreen Wilson and Jennifer Thomas

From the US, in addition to Pastor Marlon Allers (who delivered the funeral words of comfort), were the Rev. Tamera (Swan) Mason (who delivered a tribute), Elder Robert Thomas (who delivered a prayer of comfort), Bishop Calvin Ball, Mrs. Suzette Quarels , Mr. and Mrs. Bill and Camille Richardson and Rochelle Cremona-Simmons.

Also from US came cousins Michael Marshall, Mrs. Gloria (Hinson) Chapmon, Mrs. Kimberly (Chapmon) Wynne and Jordan Chapmon as well as Mrs. Judy Moore, Susan Swan and Edward Schmid III.

Our pictures above show Mrs. Marion Lister (right) arriving at St. James' Church for the funeral of her husband of 54 years, Dennis Eugene Lister. The Listers had the distinction of being parents of two Ministers serving contemporaneously in the Cabinet of the ruling PLP Government, while a third Minister was a brother of the deceased churchman and entrepreneur.

Mrs. Lister has been using the aid of a walker or chair while recovering from injuries in an accident. Her sons, Terry and Dennis Lister, and friends from near and far are seen in the procession at top left. Pallbearers into the church were grandsons.