Dear List readers,
Some of you will already have heard the sad news that, after a long fight against cancer, Hella Jean Bartolo died a little over a week ago, in London. Her funeral took place in Malta, but her ashes have been taken to Canada where her sisters live.
Hella lived in Malta, where she ran her own very successful RM consultancy. She was an active member of many associations and organisations. In particular, she was an active member of the (UK) Society of Archivists, and of the RMS of GB; and was the ARMA International Ambassador for Europe. I first met Hella when the RMS, SOA, Library Association and others were struggling to get archives and records management NVQs off the ground, and I was immediately impressed by her enthusiasm and determination.
I last met her when she came to Geneva to support the ARMA Geneva Group's ISO 15489 seminar last September - I took a photo of her (unintentionally) standing in front of an advert with the slogan: 'International Mover' and that certainly described Hella. She did so many great things in many countries.
Anyone who met her will tell you of her high level of commitment, and of her infectious enthusiasm for anything to do with archives or records management. She inspired many of us, and encouraged us to keep going, no matter how depressingly negative things seemed. She took the same line with her own illness, and refused to let it get in the way of her commitments.
Only now, as her sisters and husband sift through her personal archives, are we seeing the full history of what this wonderful but unassuming woman achieved. She will be missed by so many people, but I am sure that we will continue to feel her influence.
Mike Marsh (on behalf of the ARMA Geneva Group).
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