Departed towards the end (4)
I believe the answer is:
late
This clue is a double definition.
'departed' is the first definition.
(I've seen this before)
'towards the end' is the second definition.
(I've seen this in other clues)
(Other definitions for late that I've seen before include "Unpunctual or dead (4)" , "(Of a person) no longer alive" , "on time? Not quite" , "after the sell-by date?" , "Departed - behind time" .)