Chris Selvagi writes:

I first got to know Henry in the late 1970s when we started sailing Streaker dinghies in Kalafrana. Sailing became an obsession. Our weekend rituals led us to years of an all-weather sailing companionship in Birżebbuġa Bay.

Rain, shine, summer or winter, and donned in primitive wet gear, we would not miss even a single weekend. We learnt how to sail the hard way by the seat of our pants and capsised when we got it wrong, suffering for it at the hands of the old sea salts.

Henry was a very competitive dinghy sailor and would devise any ploy to stay ahead. He was deviously shrewd. But I dealt him as much as I received, getting even most times. We would then laugh our way back to his place where his dear wife Gillian would restore our frozen bones with hot tea and snacks while their three young lads hopped around for his attention. It was through their close friendship that I came to know my wife Lucienne.

Henry was a remarkable fellow with a knack of recovering stronger after a difficult experience. He had exceptional foresight. He never shied away from trying his hand at anything. He was as capable at running a business as he was at refurbishing his car engine. He single handedly refitted his boat from the keel to the engine, and all over two seasons.

There wasn’t a thing he could not tackle. As clever at fishing as he was at hunting, he could work wood as well as he could weld steel and could fix most things if they were at all repairable.

With a twinkle in his eye and just very slightly rolling his r’s, he would relish recounting how he had done it and the thought that went behind it. His life experiences made him a pleasure to converse with.

But more than a dear friend, Henry was a loving husband, dedicated father and doting grandfather. His fine sons and their families are testimony to this.

Henry, throughout your illness you found great strength and courage to fight back, but alas my friend, try bravely as you did there was no fix for what was broke this time, else I’m sure you would have found it.

I shall always treasure the memories of the fun times we had together. You will be sorely missed by all who knew you.

Rest in peace old sailing buddy.