News broke early this week that Maltese-American literary scholar and professor, Joseph A. Buttigieg, passed away at 71 years of age due to an illness. His son, Mayor Pete, broke the news in a Facebook post saying, “We are in mourning today. With his family at his side, Dad passed away peacefully earlier this afternoon. We miss him already but his love of life, and his moral passion, will stay with us forever.”

Joseph’s life and adventures in the States

Joseph was a Professor Emeritus at the University of Notre Dame in the state of Indiana. Born and raised in Malta, he obtained his Bachelors’ and Masters’ degree on the island, later graduating with a second bachelors’ degree from Heythrop College in London. And he didn’t stop there. The intellectual also succeeded in obtaining his Doctorate from the State University of New York at Binghamton.

Joseph married his wife, Anne Montgomery, who also served on the Notre Dame faculty and together share son Peter, who is a possible 2020 presidential candidate for the Democratic party.

He will be sorely missed 

“Joe was a superb scholar, an inspirational teacher and a pioneering leader as the inaugural director of the fledgling Hesburgh-Yusko Shcolars Program,” said Rev. John I. Jenkins (Notre Dame’s president).

Malta's Education Minister Evarist Bartolo described Joseph as a mentor. "He was an intellectual and a moral giant imbued with such a sense of humour. He really was a beacon of hope for all of us those days in the early 1970s. He believed in the values of social justice and democracy and he campaigned against the 'money can buy you anything' belief. Our country should honour people like him."

Comments of encouragement and sympathy rolled in for Mayor Pete and his family. “The entire community is behind you and sending strength to you and your family,” one Facebook user wrote.