Sharon Balsys, Josephine Vassallo Parnis, Pia Vassallo, Becky d’Ugo, Henry Catania, Warren Bugeja, Thomas Weaver, Louiselle Vassallo, Adrian Mamo, Elaine Micallef, Rita Falzon, Grace Farrugia and Daron Galea Busuttil write:

For those of us who worked with Godfrey at Associated News Group during the 1990s, he was more than a boss. Once you were accepted into his inner circle, he was your mentor, fiercely loyal, generous and kind, and yes, exacting when it came to judging the quality of our work.

A trailblazing pioneer in investigative journalism, his writing was an inspiration to all of us, an insightful and brilliant wordsmith of the English language rivalling any international journalist. 

Godfrey, always ready to embrace new technologies and innovation, established one of the fastest-growing advertising agencies at the time. He had an immediate knack for discerning and nurturing potential. Whether it be in his choice of projects, the subjects he wrote about or the associates he chose to work with, and the colleagues and employees he placed his confidence in. The job interviews Godfrey gave his staff were brief and perceptive. He had a curiosity about life and what made people tick.

Working with Godfrey, or as he was universally known ‘God’, was always an adventure, at times irreverent, often challenging with tough deadlines and the bar set so very high, but definitely never dull, especially alongside the motley crew of unlikely individuals he gathered around him to materialise his vision.

Presenting work in the glass office under God’s steely gaze was not for the faint-hearted, and submitting mediocre output meant you would be chewed up, spat out and sent back to the drawing board. But boy was his mini empire a fast track to life. All of us, especially those who were green and inexperienced, idealistic fledglings fresh out of uni, learnt so much, so quickly under his tutelage.

Godfrey demanded the best you had to offer because he had the ability to see, deep down, what you were capable of beyond perceived limitations. He trusted implicitly in the ideas of his staff and would let you make your mistakes, fall down and scrape your knees, but was always there to pick you up, stand by and encourage you.

Godfrey believed in letting his staff go out into the world to become the people they were born to be, even if he had trained and groomed them at the expense of his own agency. He was always ready to forgive the impetuousness of youth and to give you another chance.  

Charming Godfrey was an intellectual giant with a fantastic sense of humour. One of the sharpest minds, Godfrey was a larger-than-life presence, intellectually and in his passion for ideas, life and all things political. He was truly one of the most brilliant writers, a way with words that could sway any cold heart or rigid thinking. He wrote and fought for what he believed in.

Godfrey was someone you could either love or hate, but no one would deny he was a gentleman. You definitely knew where you stood with him; he was upfront, honest and direct.

He took a personal interest in all his staff; you were never a number in his office. Generous with his day, he always had time for people who had the time, surprisingly including mere acquaintances.

He would drop what he was doing, not take an important call, simply to listen to what you had to say. Everything could wait because people were what mattered. For one member of staff, he “was the father I never had”. Another colleague recounts how following his father’s death, Godfrey’s condolence card was the one that touched him most. “I never had the privilege of knowing your father,” Godfrey wrote, “but if I were him, I know that I would be very proud of you.”

For those of us left behind, there are no words to express our sadness. Sincerest condolences to the Grima family. Rest in peace Godfrey; you will live large as a permanent and fond memory in our inner landscapes.