Long-time politician, banker and farmer Thomas Haskins (Hackie) Davis died at home last week a contented man.

The 83-year-old had just enjoyed his favourite meal of Bermuda fish, was sitting at home in his favourite armchair, had his pet dog at his feet and candies on the table.

Known as a man of few words, his family said the former United Bermuda Party MP did not like fuss, attention or the limelight. If he had been given a choice, this was exactly how he would have wanted to go.

Mr. Davis was born in Shelly Bay, the eldest of seven children, to Edmund and Imogene Davis. And for most of his life he remained in Shelly Bay.

When he left school, he began working in the Bank of Butterfield in St. George's and remained with the bank for 47 years, retiring from the post of deputy general manager after a successful career that brought him to work in the Hamilton branch.

He was a founding member of the St. George's Rotary Club, and a supporter of Bailey's Bay Cricket Club. But it was his love of helping people, and of farming, that Mr. Davis will perhaps be best known for.

His eldest son Tom said people were his father's biggest concern.

He said: “My father had three careers. His main love and career was farming.

“He always had a farm, or plot of land, right up until the day he died.

“He started with cows - he had all the animals you could think of. He had plots of land all over.

“Right until his last days, he had a piece of land. He would give away a lot of the stuff he grew. He got great pleasure from it.”

Of course, the Bank of Butterfield also played a huge role in the life of Mr. Davis. After all, the bank was his only ever employer.

But so did politics.

Mr. Davis junior added: “My father was a reluctant politician. He was first elected in 1968 for Hamilton East - the first year of party politics in Bermuda.

“He lost his seat in 1976, but then won it back later. It was the first time a seat had been won back for the UBP. He retired from politics in 1993.

“He was a man of few words. I would say he was known for his actions, rather than his words. He liked to get things done.

“He did not like the limelight and public attention, but liked to help people, and I think that's why he was in politics.

“He is probably the only white man who could have won a seat in Bailey's Bay.

“He went across colour lines - he was incredible.”

During his life in politics, Mr. Davis was Environment Minister from 1982 until 1989.

He was an integral part of the creation of the West End Development Corporation and the Bermuda Plan.

He was also a big supporter of former Premier Sir John Swan.

But Mr. Davis did not like lengthy debates and rancorous sittings in the House of Assembly.

If something could not be said in ten minutes, he believed it was not worth saying at all.

Mr. Davis was first married to Frances when he was aged 25. They had four children, Lorraine, Tim, Glenn and Shaun, before they separated 16 years later.

He then went on to marry Dorothy, and have two more sons, John and Richard, and eight grandchildren.

When he died last Thursday evening, the couple were approaching almost 40 years of marriage.

His son said when his father passed last week, it came as a big shock to the family.

But on reflection, he said, everyone felt relieved that Mr. Davis had not suffered.

He added: “He had had an operation and had never really recovered from it.

“His health started to deteriorate, but he did not suffer.

“He did not want to die in the hospital, and he didn't.

“He was at home, in the environment that he loved.

“It was a terrible shock to us all, but since then we all feel relieved that he went the way he did.

“He just slipped away - it was how he would have wanted it.”

Independent Senator Walwyn Hughes worked closely with Mr. Davis as the Environment Permanent Secretary during his time in Cabinet, said they stayed close friends until he died.

He said last night: “I had tea with Hackie last Thursday afternoon and he was in very good spirits.

“I used to see him two or three times a week.

“I shall miss him. He was an ordinary man - a nice man.

“He was interested in people's problems and he helped people address those problems.

“He knew everyone in the parish and was extremely well-liked and well-known. He did not like grandiosity - he liked the simple things in life. - he was my great friend.”

And former Education Minister Dr. Clarence Terceira said he, too, would miss his friend.

He said: “He was a very solid guy.

“He did an awful lot in Planning in the Ministry of Environment. “When he got up to speak in the House, you really listened.

“He did not speak unless he had something important to say.

“I have lost a very, very good friend.”

A funeral service will be held for Mr. Davis at Holy Trinity Church in Hamilton Parish tomorrow at 4 p.m.

The family is asking donations be given to the church for its building fund, in lieu of flowers.