Frank Spiteri writes:

It is indeed sad that only after we lose someone dear to us we try to eulogise and extol the virtues and merits of the deceased person.

However, I do not want to let the passing away of such a wonderful person like my friend Catherine Sammut go by and be forgotten as if she was just another person, because she was not.

Catherine passed away on February 6 at Mater Dei Hospital after a short but painful illness.

Primarily, Catherine was a lovely person, had a great personality, was intelligent, kind and benevolent. She had a mind of her own and was an excellent debater, assertive when required but not dogmatic or arrogant. She was kind but not soppy. Catherine lived her life to the full. She enjoyed travelling, good food and dressed impeccably.

Her greatest enjoyment was a good meal with the right company in a nice ambience. Catherine was born and bred in Balzan in a typical Maltese Christian family, from whom she obtained strong virtues.

Together with her three sisters, she was brought up in a sound family background within a stimulating environment. Her schooling had a Catholic background.

As a teacher, she was extremely dedicated and exemplary, strict but compassionate and very receptive to the problems her profession entailed.

Jokingly between us friends, we sometines used to refer to her as ‘Madam’ or ‘Miss Prim and Proper’.

For some 30 years, she taught at Birkirkara primary school, during which she got to know and understand the social fabric and family problems of the locality in the parish of St Joseph the Worker.

Catherine was loved dearly by the people in her parish, where she was a wonderful social carer, dedicating so much of her time and even money to people in need.

Her car and garage were used to store and distribute the provisions kindly donated by the better-off parishioners and food retail outlets in the locality .

All this in silence and without any trumpeting.

As for myself, I knew Catherine for a good 55 years. Here I feel I must mention her greatest friend ever, Margaret Gregory (née Darmenia), also from Balzan, who left this world a few years ago.

Their’s was the epitome of good and sincere friendship. They were well-educated decent girls. Both were the result of good family backgrounds and proper upbringing. Together they had fun travelled and enjoying life to the full but always within the boundries of decency, civility and respect to authority.

I will miss Catherine terribly but find comfort knowing that as a friend I enjoyed her company and warm personality for many years. She was a treasure to all who knew her.

May she rest in peace.

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