Fantastic is the one word that erupts when trying to sum up the 100th birthday celebrations accorded Ruth Ann Marie Simons.

Mrs Simons was in her glory, in full possession of her faculties, sparkling at the end of the four-hour plus event at Warwick Anglican Church Hall. With great dignity she seemed like she was ready to go for another century.

Mother of six, all but one of whom survive, Mrs Simon, unwrinkled, with an indescribably (at least by yours truly) beautiful smile, actually took charge of the celebration. She greeted with equal aplomb Bermuda’s Premier, Michael Dunkley, and Opposition Leader Mark Bean.

The Premier presented her with a beautiful bouquet from the people of the country.

She was besieged by some 40 of her grandchildren and great-great grands. Those unable to attend for one reason or another sent greetings, some in the form of poetry, from as far away as New York, Ohio and the Midlands, England.

Mrs Simons was the daughter of Clifford Burrows. The family were upstanding members of the Somerset community’s religious and cultural life. Their homestead is still visible, situated on the water’s edge of Ely’s Harbour. Clifford’s other child died early in her life. Ruth was his jewel.

Another ‘first family’ was the Simons clan. It had a prominent part in institution of Bermuda’s greatest sports event the Annual Somerset-St George’s Cup Match. One of the game’s most spectacular players was Arthur Simons (more on him can be gleaned from my 120-page book CHAMP! The One and Only Alma Hunt). The Hunts and Simonses were first cousins. The Somerset Cup team was invincible back in the day when it comprised all but two Hunt and Simons brothers.

It should not be difficult to imagine that the ‘Wedding of the Year’ was to be that of Ruth and Arthur. It was more than 75 years ago.

Yours truly was at their fabulous reception, being well on the way then as the young Somerset news reporter for the Bermuda Recorder newspaper.

It is not surprising that after his cricketing days Arthur became a missionary, taking his attractive wife and their young family with him to the West Indies. Young men then were trained early in life to get their priorities in order. Work, play and saying the catechism at night was the routine.

Hopefully the pictures of the celebration on this page portray more than time and space otherwise would allow for this feature.