Former US Consul to Bermuda, Ludwell Ebersole Gaines Jr has died aged 84.Mr Gaines, who was fondly known by friends and family as ‘Eb’, was appointed American Consul General by President George HW Bush and served in Bermuda from 1989 until 1992.Sir John Swan, who worked closely with Mr Gaines during his tenure as Premier, said he was saddened by the news, when contacted yesterday.“Eb Gaines and his wife Sheila arrived in Bermuda during my tenure as Premier and immediately sought to enhance and foster the relationship between Bermuda and the United States,” he said.“Thus began a series of visits by high-ranking members of the Cabinet, members of Congress and other dignitaries. This strengthened relationship played a major role in the facility of the tax convention between Bermuda and the United Sates which has served us well with our insurance and reinsurance business.”Sir John said that Mr Gaines was a personal friend who shared his enthusiasm about Bermuda.“Even during our Bohemian Club encampments, Eb would speak passionately about how Bermuda’s ideals and fiscal responsibilities were beneficial to Bermuda specifically and to the US in general such as with the bases and security protection during the Cold War.”He added: “Eb’s passing saddens me because after his departure from Bermuda and the untimely death of his dear wife Sheila, he never lost sight of the wonderful experience he had in Bermuda. His passing is a loss of a personal friend to me and also to Bermuda.“I wish to extend to his family my deepest and most sincere sympathies and let them know he served his country and Bermuda well and that he is a tribute to what US overseas relationships should be and are all about.”Prior to his Bermuda posting Mr Gaines had a lengthy career in business and Government, working with the American Arbitration Association, Plax Corporation and Continental Can Company.In 1981 he was appointed by President Reagan as executive vice president of Overseas Private Investment Corporation, an agency of the US State Department.Mr Gaines died on March 15 in San Francisco and leaves behind four children and four grandchildren.