Friday, February 13, 2009

Remembering Stella


Friends and comrades of Stella Moutafis braved the harsh weather last Saturday to pay their last respects to the wonderful woman who died so sadly last December. But the memorial meeting at the Party Centre was a tribute to her life and dedication to the communist cause that began when she joined the NCP in 1990 and continued right up until her last days.
NCP leader Andy Brooks said Stella was modest to a fault but her determination to overcome illness to take part in the struggle for peace and socialism was shown in her eagerness to help build the Party and the New Worker in every way she could. She was always there – despatching the paper on Thursdays; leafleting or selling the New Worker on demonstrations; representing the Party at events and writing entertaining reviews for our journals. NCP President Eric Trevett spoke of her courage, sense of humour and her ideological strength – which was echoed in the tributes from Michael Chant from the RCPB (ML), Daphne Liddle and many others who had worked with her over the years.
Written tributes from Stefan Eggerdinger from the Workers’ League for the Restoration of the Communist Party of Germany and Korean friendship activist Dermot Hudson were read out by Party Chair Alex Kempshall who also spoke of Stella’s regular financial contribution to the fighting fund. Earlier in the day the Politburo of the NCP had decided to launch a New Worker £10,000 Special Appeal to meet the increased costs of colour production. He called on comrades to remember Stella in the way she would have wanted by kicking off the appeal with a bounce – and they did to the tune of £1,826.50!
Stella Moutafis was an outstanding comrade. She is sorely missed but she will never be forgotten.
photo: Stella with NCP leader Andy Brooks