Custos of St James Bishop Conrad Pitkin greets Barbara Nelson, widow of former parliamentarian Arthur Nelson, during a thanksgiving service for his life on Saturday. “Arthur belonged to a generation of Jamaicans who understood that public service was a calling. Whether out of modesty, practicality, or simply because it reflected who he was, that story has endured because it speaks to the kind of man Arthur Nelson was. While the trappings of importance can quietly corrode the purpose of service, Arthur Nelson remained, to the end, a faithful steward. When the noise died down, he was simply Arthur: approachable, restrained, disciplined, decent, perhaps that’s why people trusted him,” Allen mused.