On September 23, 2022, Ermanno Pitacco passed away. The announcement on the obituary reads “Venerdì 23 settembre, in punta di piedi, se ne è andato Ermanno Pitacco per raggiungere la sua amata Carla” … these words were still written by Ermanno himself. Indeed, Ermanno quietly rejoined his beloved wife Carla who died not long before, on September 12, 2020. The ASTIN community expresses its most sincere and warm felt condolences to the family. We feel a deep gratefulness for having known this true Actuarius Universalis. Whereas Ermanno’s scientific contributions were mainly concentrated in the AFIR realm of life, disability, health and pension insurance, he always had a keen interest in the broader, all-encompassing field of actuarial science. He made fundamental and lasting contributions to many areas. His scientific achievements resulted in several academic and societal prizes and distinctions. Numerous were also his lively contributions to subsequent ASTIN Colloquia and IAA Congresses. Those of us who had the pleasure of having met Ermanno in person and discussed with him scientific issues recall his sharp, inquisitive mind always ready to listen and contribute to a better understanding of the underlying applied problem. In social contacts with Ermanno and Carla, their warm and immensely human characters shone through. But also, any conversation was always sprinkled with a wonderful sense of humor. Who does not recall Ermanno’s typical Italian “voce”, a voice that will be sadly missed on the worldwide actuarial stage. Thank you so much Ermanno for all that you gave to our profession, as well as to our personal lives. Our biggest gratitude for your contributions to our field is to walk along the scientific path that you so clearly marked for us … sadly we will miss our beloved guide.