LUCEA’S first mayor, Uton Johnson, will be laid to rest on Sunday.

Johnson died on October 21. He was 94 years old.

The funeral service will be held at the Ruseas High School in the parish at 1:30 pm.

Affectionately called ‘Doctor Bird’ because of his flamboyance, Johnson will be remembered for representing the parish with pride when he hosted the visit of Queen Elizabeth II at the 1966 opening of the Lucea town square and fountain.

Dressed in his resplendent scarlet robe, he warmed his audience with a string of delightful words and phrases, which had everyone roaring with laughter during the visit that is still regarded in many quarters, as one of the proudest moments in the parish’s history.

But Johnson’s political life begun well before 1966.

He entered active politics in 1951 when he was elected councillor of the Blenheim division and served until 1968. In 1969 he was again re-elected and served until 1973 when he resigned from active political life.

Tall and slender, he was a man of impeccable taste who continued to present himself well in public, dressed in his ever-present felt hat and his leather attaché in hand, even during his later years of retirement.

Today, his photograph maintains a prominent place in the main chamber of the Hanover parish council and young men laud him for his political contributions.

Sitting mayor of Lucea, Lester Crooks is one such man.

“He is the one more than any other who I admire most… As a younger man I had felt that if ever I became a politician, I would like to be guided by his humility, yet strong character,” Crooks said.

Secretary manager of the parish council, Alfred Graham also had high praise for the former mayor.

“The high moral among co-workers was attributed to the standard set by Mr. Johnson,” said Graham who joined the staff of the council a few months after Johnson retired.