Maria Tabone, widow of former president Censu Tabone, passed away today. She was 98.

In a statement, the Nationalist Party said that Maria gave a long service to her country as the wife of a politician who served as minister and, later, head of state.

Married to Censu Tabone in 1941, Maria supported her husband in his profession as ophthalmologist, in the setting up of the doctor’s union and in the upbringing of their eight children before being by her husband’s side in his years in Parliament and later as President.

Her funeral will take place on Monday at the Balluta parish church in St Julian's at 2pm, followed by burial in Gozo.

In a statement, President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca expressed her sorrow, saying that Mrs Tabone supported her husband in all his career and was an example to her children and all the Maltese people.

Picture below shows Maria and Censu Tabone celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary in 2011, a year before Censu Tabone died.