They walked on in 2009

A tribute to some high-profile individuals who passed away this year.

Charles Camilleri - composer, died January 3, aged 77.
Mr Camilleri, who wrote over 300 compositions, was internationally acknowledged as Malta's best known composer. His works include the popular Malta Suite, the oratorio Pawlu ta' Malta and Missa Mundi. His Cantilena is currently part of the Grade 5 Trinity Guildhall piano syllabus.

Charles Clews - actor and comedian, died January 29, aged 89.
A well-loved comedian, Mr Clews co-founded The Stage Commandos, a group with a repertoire of comic sketches, plays and musicals, and Radio Muskettieri. He worked closely with other popular actors and entertainers, and one of his greatest successes was the comedy It-Tieġ ta' Karmena Abdilla. In 1996, he was awarded the Midalja għall-Qadi tar-Repubblika.

Mgr John Dimech - ecclesiastic, died January 6, aged 86.
Mgr Dimech was private secretary to Archbishop Michael Gonzi from 1961 to 1968, the major chaplain of the Maltese Association of the Knights of Malta (SMOM) and honorary canon of St George's basilica and St Paul's in Valletta.

Pawlu Aquilina - poet and writer, died January 29, aged 79.
Mr Aquilina's works include several poems and essays as well as educational broadcasts for schoolchildren. Together with Ġużè Diacono, he co-edited the revised edition of the English-Maltese Dictionary by Dun Karm Psaila.

George Agius - trade unionist, died March 6, aged 84.
One of the first members of the General Workers Union, Mr Agius went on to become its general secretary in 1971. He had been general secretary of the Labour Party from 1955 to 1957. In 1977, he was appointed Ambassador to Germany and in 1985, Malta's Permanent Representative at the United Nations. He was made a member of the National Order of Merit (MOM) in 1996.

Fr Edward Camilleri, SJ - educationalist, died June 24, aged 89.
Fr Camilleri, son of Chief Justice Sir Luigi Camilleri and Lady Camilleri, was known to generations of students as prefect of discipline at the Jesuit-run St Aloysius College, where was also rector and taught for over 30 years.

Alfred Grech - doctor, died August 31, aged 82.
Dr Grech gave a major contribution to the health service over a career spanning many decades. He was chief government medical officer during the turbulent years of the doctors' strike and, during his tenure, set up a number of intensive care facilities within St Luke's Hospital. He also commissioned Karin Grech Hospital and the Gozo General Hospital.

Lawrence Mintoff - architect, died September 14, aged 51.
Mr Mintoff was a former president of the Chamber of Architects and a Labour Party activist. He was involved in the design of the PL headquarters in Ħamrun, as well as projects undertaken by local councils. He contested the 1992, 1996 and 1998 elections on behalf of the Labour Party.

Dennis Vella - museum curator, died July 28, aged 56.
Art historian, critic and university lecturer, Mr Vella was the curator of modern and contemporary art at the National Museum of Fine Arts. Passionate about art and committed to his work, he curated various exhibitions by Maltese artists, and was the author of a number of books on Maltese art.

Desmond Vella - entrepreneur, died August 25, aged 34.
Mr Vella was the owner of several popular outlet stores and was also a director of the popular Tribu Festival, which used to be held annually. The young entrepreneur was just 20 when he opened his first business, and he was also one of the organisers of annual Earth Garden event.

Mgr Francis Baldacchino - bishop, died October 9, aged 73.
Mgr Baldacchino was the first Roman Catholic bishop of Malindi, Kenya. He had joined the Capuchin order in 1953, and was ordained in 1961. In 1974 he was one of the first Maltese missionaries to work in the diocese of Garissa, Kenya.

Victor Diacono - sculptor, died October 22, aged 93.
Mr Diacono was renowned for his busts and head sculptures of young children and watercolour paintings, especially of scenes of daily life in Malta.

Joe A. Grima - politician, died November 1, aged 65.
A former Nationalist MP, Mr Grima was a public relations pioneer, setting up the Impact Group in the late 1960s. He also served as a civil servant, an assistant general secretary of the Malta Employers Association, honorary secretary of the Institute of Directors and was a member of the Institute of Public Relations in the UK. Mr Grima was one of the founders of the Moviment Qawmien Letterarju, set up in the late 1960s to promote Maltese literature.

Joseph Zammit - politician, died December 11, aged 85.
Born in Paola, Mr Zammit was a founder member of the Labour Party and the General Workers' Union. He worked at the Admiralty Drydocks and at Royal Air Force Tal-Ħandaq and Luqa Engineering Flight. He restored Malta's World War II relic Gladiator Faith, now displayed at the War Museum.

Mary Vella Bondin - midwife, died December 13, aged 76.
Ms Vella Bondin established the Obstetric Unit at St Catherine's Hospital, Attard. The first Maltese to obtain the Midwifery Teachers Diploma from the UK, she was in charge of the government's Midwifery School between 1974 and 1993. In 1974, she founded the Midwives Association of Malta and remained its president until 1991. She was bestowed with the Ġieħ ir-Repubblika in recognition of her service to the nation.

Daniel Piscopo - politician, died December 14, aged 89.
During his time as a politician in Dom Mintoff's cabinet, Mr Piscopo held several posts, including minister of health, minister of energy and comm-unications and minister of tourism. During his time as health minister, he focused on modernising hospitals and improving psychiatric care.

Angelo Fenech - entrepreneur, died December 16, aged 56.
A director of the Tumas Group, Mr Fenech died suddenly shortly after a workout. He had been involved mainly in construction projects.

Edwin Busuttil - former Speaker, died December 21, aged 86.
A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Prof. Busuttil was head of the Department of Public Law and Criminal Law as well as dean of the Faculty of Law and pro-rector of the University. He was also deputy leader of the Constitutional Party, besides presiding as chairman of the Broadcasting Authority, chairman of the Disciplinary Board of the Public Service Commission and electoral commissioner.

He authored various legal publications and articles.