PART of old Bermuda has diminished with the sudden passing of 81-year-old Stanley Clifford Woolridge, of Hermitage Road, Devonshire. He has been lauded far and wide as an ambassador extraordinaire and true minister of tourism for the country.

His funeral on Sunday at Christ Church, Devonshire was another testament to the esteem in which he was held.

As big as the parish church is, it was filled to overflowing, as was the adjacent church hall; and so was the churchyard, unable to hold the hundreds of family, friends and admirers who turned out to pay their last respects.

Mourners arriving up to 20 minutes before the start of the service on that cold and blustery afternoon turned around and went home when they discovered they could hardly get into the churchyard.

For more than a half-mile radius of the church every space that could be used for parking was taken up by vehicles.

Mr. Woolridge was a businessman, the owner and operator for more than 50 years of Taxi 1150. He tried to service the community at large, but the centre of his operations was the old Castle Harbour Hotel and subsequently the Mid Ocean Club in Tucker's Town.

He drove some of the most eminent personages who visited the island; and often he was especially requested to drive them before their arrival.

It was not unusual for him to wait outside the Southampton Princess Hotel until 3 a.m. to drive someone back to Tucker's Town or the Mid Ocean Club from a bridge tournament.

He was often referred to as the 'Mayor of Tucker's Town'. One of his many grateful clients even gave him and his wife an all-expenses-paid cruise to Alaska and the Rockies.

The directors of the Mid Ocean Club were so appreciative of his service and demeanour that they made him and his wife Clarissa honorary members of the exclusive club.

When he was stricken, the club e-mailed the shocking news of his death to its membership, resulting in a continuing flood of condolences and other expressions from home and abroad to his family.

Mr. Woolridge had attended a Christian Men's breakfast at Allen Temple in Somerset. Before setting out for home he spent a while fellowshipping with his son's wife, the Rev. Betty L. Furbert-Woolridge, and others. Upon arriving home, he took three steps inside the door to his wife, collapsed and died.

The funeral service was conducted by the Parish Rector, Canon James Francis, with Canon Thomas Nisbett and the Rev. Laurie Tingley, pastor of Centenary United Methodist Church, assisting. GLOWING tributes were from the Rev. Alton Thompson and Pastor Joseph Whalen. The eulogy was by the Rev. Betty L.Furbert-Woolridge, who is Pastor of Allen Temple AME Church. Other tributes came from former Tourism Minister Jim Woolridge on behalf of Flatts Cricket Club, with other speakers from the Mid Ocean Club and the Dawn Swimmers.

Stanley was one of that hardy group who gained their name from the fact that every day at dawn they would go swimming, summer, winter, rain, sunshine or even hurricane weather.

About five years ago Mr. Woolridge was stricken with an illness that resulted in his right leg being amputated. He was fitted with a prosthesis, enabling him to do many other things but not swim.

That was until last year when an eminent doctor he had driven many times over the years became aware of his plight when he was driving him from the airport.

He promised to make him a 'swimming leg', and a day in June 2006 was one of rejoicing when he was once again able to join the Dawn Swimmers at John Smith's Bay.

In his heyday Stanley played cricket for Flatts. His name did not enter the record books like others of the Woolridge clan for performances in club, league and county games.

But he would never be forgotten for at least one 'ground-burning' catch he took in the slips off the bowling of his cousin Chester Woolridge, in a game against Social Club.

Rev. Thompson, an old friend and colleague, described Mr. Woolridge as a Christian gentleman who had his priorities right.

He said: "Stanley was a great figure in Bermuda. I remember the days at the old Castle Harbour Hotel, when tourism was flourishing, it was men like Stanley and a host of others, Winkie Tatem, Kitchner Johnson and Joseph Oliver Swainson, who were models for us as to how to do a job nicely. They had class about themselves; they were to be admired and to be followed." The congregation laughed when Rev. Thompson described him as one of the richest taxi drivers in the whole world.

"You laugh," he went on, "but Matthew 6:20 says lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Stanley had his priorities right. He put first things first and the other things fell in place."MR. Woolridge was born on May 4, 1925 at a place called 'The Hotel' on Verdmont Road, Smith's. At age seven, his family moved to the 'Locker' on Hermitage Road. There he was attracted to Clarissa Davis. Her grandfather, C.B.Davis, was reputed to be one of the three richest black men in the country. Clarissa became his wife of 59 years. From the union there are three children, Edward, Felicity and Hilda, and three grandchildren, Salina, Sheree and Leijay>I>Our pictures show (top left) Stanley and Clarissa Davis Woolridge, his wife of 59 years, as well as a scene (above) outside Devonshire Parish Church where hundreds gathered for his funeral. The ambulance in the yard was called to carry to hospital one mourner who was overcome before the service began.

Ex-shipwright Mickey earns 'Dream' award for building affordable housing in New YorkTHE man who has found the solution to the building of affordable housing in his town in New York is a Bermudian. He's known there as Norman G. Scotland. But most people in the Bermuda know him as Mickey Scotland. He hails from Sound View Road, Somerset. He was born on Christmas Day 1934, the son of Helena and Monroe Scotland.

Mickey was one of the 49 young Dockyard apprentices sent to Liverpool, England to complete their training when the Bermuda Dockyard was closed in 1950.

Upon qualifying as a shipwright, he returned home and settled down until he met and married Elizabeth, an attractive New York lady on vacation in Bermuda, now his wife of 40 years. He moved to Yonkers, New York where he built a home that they both designed.

Our picture shows Norman Mickey Scotland at the ceremony where on Sunday before last he was presented with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award, "Continuing the Dream". It was for his accomplishments in building affordable housing in Westchester County, New York.

In 1966 Mickey changed his concentration from Bermuda shipbuilding to New York home construction, becoming a general contractor, employing many people whom he taught his craft.

According to his wife, his work can be seen throughout all areas of Westchester. For the past six years he has been involved with the work of the Housing Action Council of Tarrytown. He also worked for the Preservation Company and the Resource Centre of Peekskill.

His citation for the award noted that one of his distinctive characteristics is that he has mastered and memorised the blueprints for every home he has ever built.

Often his work went beyond the expectations of his customers, friends and family.

He said his satisfaction came from being able to see a quality project from beginning to end, like an artist finishing a masterpiece.

At least one of his compatriots from Bermuda was able to attend the presentation ceremony - Eugene Lister of Somerset.

Two days after being honoured, Mickey returned to the island to attend the funeral of his uncle, Elmore