LILA-IRENE Clerides, the wife of former President Glafcos Clerides, died yesterday morning at the age of 86.
“Her last days were difficult,” the family doctor, Iosif Kassios, said yesterday.
Mrs Clerides was pronounced clinically dead as she arrived at Larnaca General Hospital by ambulance, accompanied by her only daughter Katie.
Her husband Glafcos had been on his way to Nicosia to testify to the House Committee for the Cyprus File. Hearing the news, a distraught Clerides went to the hospital, where he identified his wife’s body before heading back to their home in Meneou.
According to Dr Kassios, Mrs Clerides had been in quite a good condition when she was discharged from a Nicosia clinic ten days ago. However, due to her age and multiple health problems, her condition was expected to get worse.
After examining her on Tuesday night, Kassios said he had been expecting Mrs Clerides’ condition to deteriorate further and had suggested she be transferred to the Nicosia clinic yesterday morning.
But on the way to the clinic, medical staff in the ambulance decided she was in such bad condition they should take her straight to Larnaca Hospital.
“Unfortunately Mrs Irene Clerides left us at 10.15 this morning,” said Kassios. “As you know, she has been through some very difficult times in the past month and unfortunately she didn’t make it.”
Androulla Christodoulides, head of the hospital’s ER department, confirmed: “At around 10.15am, Mrs Clerides was transferred to our department and she was clinically dead. We tried to resuscitate her but it proved futile.”
Indian born Lila-Irene Clerides had suffered with failing health for years, though in recent months her condition had been steadily deteriorating.
Her marriage to former RAF gunner Glafcos, who was President of Cyprus from 1993 until 2003, was considered among the most loving in Cyprus.
The couple had met in London immediately after World War 2, where the young Lila had been working at the BBC World Service.
She once said she went on her first date after taking pity on the “scraggy youth who had just been released from a concentration camp”.
Former Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, Clerides’ long-time political adversary, yesterday offered his condolences.
“I’m very shocked and sorry,” Denktash told the Reuters news agency. “They were the most devoted couple. Everybody who came in contact with her loved her as a lady and a good wife.”
House President Demetris Christofias yesterday phoned Mr Clerides to express his “great sadness” over his wife’s death.
“Irene Clerides was the love of Glafcos Clerides’ life and her loss has caused a great deal of pain to the former President of the Republic,” he said in an announcement.
Condolences were offered by all political parties and public figures.
