Family and friends of soft-spoken house-painter Oliver Thompson were left struggling to deal with his death Wednesday, with his wife Frieda revealing he died after falling from a ladder just hours after a granddaughter was born.

Mr. Thompson, 63, of Suffering Lane, St. George's was rushed to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital after falling some 12 feet at 7.25 a.m. while hanging blinds at Godet & Young Ltd. on Wellington Street.

Mr. Thompson's brother, Joseph, said yesterday: "The family is very upset. It was a shock to us all. Other people said they had seen him every day working at Godet & Young."

Mr. Thompson said his brother often worked by himself and was a very quiet man.

Mrs. Thompson said "painting was Oliver's pride" and explained that during their 28 years of marriage, he had helped her raise her five children.

She added: "I took him to work that morning, his granddaughter had been born the night before, I will miss him. I was very close to him."

Mr. Thompson's cousin, Olivia Steede said: "I never heard him say anything loud or boisterous, he was a softspoken, easygoing person. He just talked about his family, he did not gossip about anybody, I know he loved his family."

The Bermuda Police Service extended its sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.