On July 3, ex-teacher Emanuel Ellis of Victoria, passed to eternal life at the age of 84. He hailed from a large family of 15, which is synonymous with Palm Street in the heart of Gozo’s capital, the street in which he was born and bred.
Mr Ellis, as he was known by one and all, was an English and art teacher for the greater part of his career. He taught both subjects at the Ninu Cremona Lyceum Complex. Entire generations of students will remember him as one of their most beloved teachers.
Emanuel had a natural love for languages; he quoted Latin as it if were his first language. He also wrote poetry, with one of his poems published on the commemoration card on the occasion of his death. It was he who instilled in me a love for Walt Disney’s greatest productions, giving me copies of Disney’s most renowned productions such as Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Bambi and so many others. He himself was an avid collector of videos in the era that preceded the invention of the DVD and Blue-ray.
Emanuel wrote the lyrics of Inti Djamant f’Nofs il-Mediterran (You are a diamond in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea), which features at the end of weekly television programme Għawdex Illum, produced and directed by Alvin Scicluna of Victoria, and which was set to music by his own brother-in-law, the late Dominic Grech (1950-2005) of The Tramps fame.
He is the uncle of renowned Gozitan psychiatrist Anton Grech and Dr Joseph Ellis. His strong sense of humour, kindness and humility became crystal clear as soon as one came to know him. His memory will be cherished by all those who had the privilege of knowing him.
For his natural love for his native Gozo, expressed so gloriously in his Inti Djamant, he certainly deserves to be awarded the Ġieħ Għawdex honour posthumously!
Emanuel was married to Maria Saliba and is survived by his wife and their six children: Marthese, Tony, George, Loranne, Joseph and Dorien, their respective husbands and wives, his 15 grandchildren and great-grandson Mason and a great number of relatives and friends.
Dear Emanuel, we shall all miss that cuddly face of yours and, above all, your company! Until we meet again, au revoir!