Darjeeling, June 1: Father Gerard Van Walleghem, the last foreigner missionary to remain in the hills , breathed his last at 7.45am today, bringing to an end an era of Christian educationists who came from abroad to teach in the hills.

Father Van was 88.

Father Kinley Tshering, the provincial head of Darjeeling Jesuit, said: "Father Van contributed a lot towards hill society. He was known for his wisdom and a lot of people used to come to him for counselling. We have lost someone who was always eager to contribute to society. He was the last remaining missionary to come from abroad to the hills."

Father Van was born to a Belgian family at Winnipeg, Canada, on March 7, 1927, and after graduating from St Paul's School, Winnipeg, in 1944, he decided to join the Society of Jesus.

In 1951, Father Van came to India, and since then has been serving the region as an educationist, parish priest, communal superior, regional consultor, advisor of bishops and friend and supporter of a number of congregations

Fr Van's family wanted him to return to Canada in his last days but he refused to leave India and St Joseph's School (North Point).

"He had applied for Indian citizenship innumerable times but never got one. Just before his death, his visa had been extended for another five years," said Fr Kinley.

Father Van was the headmaster of St Alphonsus School, Kurseong, between 1982 and 1984. He was also the rector of St Joseph's (North Point) twice, between 1974 and 1981 and 2001 and 2006.

During the 1968 landslide that devastated all of Darjeeling, Father Van, along with the late Father Edward Burns, worked tirelessly to provide relief and rehabilitation to the affected. Their efforts resulted in the formation of one of Darjeeling's most iconic social work organisations, Hayden Hall, a charitable organisation in 1969, which works for the welfare of underprivileged women and children.

When the war broke out between India and Pakistan in 1971 (for the liberation of Bangladesh) Father Van led relief efforts in the refugee camps established for Bangladeshis in the foothills of Darjeeling.

During the 1986-1988 Gorkhaland agitation, Father Van was at the forefront of providing counselling, relief and rehabilitation to the hill people. In 2000, the University of Manitoba in Canada had conferred a doctoral degree in law on him.

Father Van spent most of his days at North Point School where he breathed his last. "He had old age-related ailments. He had a minor clot in his brain recently. He was in hospital for a week in Siliguri and had returned to Darjeeling two weeks back," said Father Kinely.

In recognition of his love for North Point, Father Van will be buried on the premises of the school. "Priests are usually buried in a grave near the school but given his love for North Point, he will be buried on the school premises," Father Kinley said.

The funeral service will take place at St Joseph's School at 1pm tomorrow.