Appreciation - Charlotte Xuereb

Maureen German, writes:

I treasure happy memories of my 40-year friendship with Charlotte Xuereb, née Manche. I returned from the UK in 1968 and very soon, we started a University Ladies Group, wives of lecturers, senior lecturers and professors.

Charlotte never missed the meetings, coming along with her young son Peter, then about five. She doted on him who, she always said, was a gift, having arrived after a gap from his three other siblings.

I learned to play Bridge in Singapore and Charlotte already knew how to play the game and together we trained eight very close friends to learn the basics of this wonderful card game.

We really had fun during the 1970s, meeting in each others' homes and having marathons starting as early as 10 a.m. for coffee and going on till after 10 at night when our husbands used to congregate and, being mostly doctors, discuss the future of the medical profession.

The medical dispute of 1977 separated us but Charlotte stayed here bringing up her four children while her husband Charles worked in Libya.

I will never forget the get-togethers we had in her mother's house near Dingli Circus, listening to a Nationalist Party meeting. That house is now the Metropole Hotel. I used to swim with Charlotte at the Exiles and we always welcomed each other's company.

Charlotte joined me on a Bridge Cruise from Athens to Mombasa way back in 1998. We clicked.

I am an early riser, Charlotte a late one. But we were never in each other's way. A fellow Bridge companion was with us and her husband on that cruise and she was always asking me "Where is Charlotte?" But we were both free to enjoy the cruise in whichever way we pleased.

Charlotte was into competitive Bridge while I stuck to my rubber bridge with tender loving care. I love the game immensely, but I hate to be competitive and Charlotte never imposed, even though she knew I could cope. She was mature enough to understand.

Charlotte was a very capable person, could sing, play the piano, was an art critic, a keen gardener... but always very helpful and ready to teach. She was a fantastic cook.

She looked after her mother Biċe with loving care, understanding her every need and a great companion to her mother who matched her culturally.

She was a dutiful mother, controlling her family with discipline, doing what was best for them especially as their father was away most of the time.

I was with Charlotte when her husband died. Together we had gone for a day to Gozo to attend a Nationalist political meeting and Charlie was pottering about in their summer house in Qawra. He never came home. This hurt Charlotte immensely, never having said goodbye to Charlie.

She was a good grandmother, advising and appreciating her grandchildren's capabilities.

She went to her rest on the eve of a great feast of our Divine Mother Mary. Charlotte was a mature Christian.

Now if I am asked Where is Charlotte? I know my reply would be "With Our Lord", helped by his Divine Mother, to rest in his arms where she deserves to be. God bless her.