Charles Sacco writes:

It was barely three months after we both ended our five-year stint at the Lyceum in 1963 that our paths crossed again when we both successfully sat for the first student journalists course at the Union Press. Since then, our paths crossed again and again and again...

After an intensive seven-month course and the publication of Malta News, Laurie was posted on the staff of that now-defunct paper. I joined the sports team at l-Orizzont, a natural choice since I had started sports reporting on a freelance basis while still in secondary school.

But then, fate struck when I was plucked from the sports department to join Laurie as part of the night staff team of the English language sister paper, a move I did not like at all since my future wife at the time was a daytime features editor.

And that’s when I called it a day and joined the newsroom at Rediffusion in the days of J.G. Vassallo and Harold Scorey. Hardly a few months passed and Laurie moved to broadcasting.

And when, in July 1974, I joined Air Malta to set up its advertising and PR department, Laurie followed suit, having passed some time at Bortex in a totally different line from journalism.

I left Air Malta in June 1992, soon after the government replaced the late Albert Mizzi as chairman of the national airline. But Laurie remained there until his retirement, albeit in a different line of work yet again, having been transferred to the engineering department.

Parliamentary reporting always fascinated me and I took the opportunity to join the Times of Malta team on a freelance basis when vacancies were advertised in 1995.

The workload there continued to grow with the coverage of the newly-introduced House Committees and then parliamentary editor Christopher Scicluna and myself managed to coax Laurie to join us. We worked in a very closely-knit team until July last year.

Working with Laurie for 53 years was a pleasure. His accurate reporting and punctilious proof-reading was something admirable even in the chaotic hustle and bustle surrounding pressmen.

All who knew him, especially in his later years covering question time in Parliament, can vouch for his meticulous contribution, whatever the workload.

He was loyal to the entity he worked for and respectful towards management and fellow colleagues.

But Laurie’s world did not centre only on work: he was also a devoted family man, having married his childhood sweetheart, Vivienne, and started a family of three girls that has remained strong and closely-knit to this day. And which has now grown with the addition of five grandchildren, whom he adored.

To them all, may the Lord grant comfort as He wipes “every tear from their eyes”. To Laurie, may He grant him eternal rest.