Appreciations
View(s):F. N. (Nimal) Senewiratne
Remembered with respect and gratitude
It is with a heavy heart that I pen these words about a dear friend, who left us suddenly just a month ago. Despite the little or no intimation of his death, a large crowd turned up at his home and at the “Nisala Arana”, General Cemetery, Kohuwela to pay their last respects.
I write this tribute with great sadness, as I struggle to accept the fact that Nimal is no more. It was only within seven years that I lost two people who have been very close to my heart and now I am writing yet another tribute to honour another loved one whose life has been snatched away.
I had three missed calls on my mobile and when I called his home Shiro akka gave me the sad news of Nimal’s death on December 12. It disturbed me so much that I walked out of office, wanting to reach their home quickly. I comforted myself with the thought that he had completed his duties and had passed away peacefully, without much suffering.
I have known Nimal since our teens, almost over 45 years. In fact we’ve been friends for more than half the time I’ve been alive. My first encounter with this gentleman was way back in the 1960s. I met his sister Niranjani in 1966 when I changed schools and the two of us were in the same class. His sisters Niranjani and Priyani became very friendly with me and our parents too became family friends.
Even at that time, I could remember visiting their home in Jambugasmulla Mawatha, and spending the whole day with them. In the early 1970s Niranjani got married and Nimal too married Geetha in the same year, if I remember correct. About three weeks before his death, they stepped into 42 years of married life.
Geetha and I became great pals and for many years she used to make my birthday cake too.
I had a habit of visiting them on Sundays after service. If ever I did not visit their home on Sundays – Nimal’s parents would visit me to find out why I had not come. So this was our longstanding friendship.
To me, he was a dear brother, always happy to welcome me. Their home was open to me at all times.
He wasn’t self-centred and always made sure that justice was done towards all. He led a righteous life and was a truly trustworthy person. His care for people working under him was remarkable. He found time for others and always helped the sick and elderly spending a lot of time with them often taking them to doctors, buying their medicines etc. I could give many examples of his kindness.
He was a kind and loving husband to Geetha and devoted father to Eshan and Amanda, wonderful father-in-law, great uncle and caring and loving friend to all. He used to always speak on the uncertainty of life and the importance of freeing oneself from all attachments. The family has lost its guiding light.
Outside planting, he adored dogs, saving and caring for many wounded dogs or giving tender care to puppies. He used to look after a couple of dogs at Veyangoda, bathe them and feed them. Most of these dogs were taken from dog homes.
He was unwell for sometime and was in and out of hospital. The day before he went to hospital he had driven home from his estate at Veyangoda and was unable to get off from the vehicle. The following day he was admitted to hospital and the day after he was in the ICU and then brought back to a room after a couple of days. During this period I visited him daily in hospital. He was in hospital for a further five days and was discharged on the 11th. He came home happily but on the following morning he breathed his last. No farewells were spoken, he did not say “goodbye”.
Even though we had read several articles on his illness, we were not prepared to accept his death. In fact when we had conversations about deaths, funerals etc., I used to tell him that he will attend all our funerals because both his parents died when they were in their nineties.
Fond memories of the good old days will never be forgotten.
I am so grateful for our friendship. I know I was able to call or reach out whenever I needed him and he was always there for me. He will be always remembered with respect and gratitude and as each day passes I pray to God to give his family courage and strength to bear this great loss.
This is also a long overdue “Thank You” to him for all that he has done for me.
As a Christian, I believe that he is now resting from toil, pain and sorrow. May this humble, simple man rest in peace and rise in glory!
-Lilamani Amerasekera
Benedict Justin Donald Amerasinghe
Leading by example, he was a role model for many
“Those who live and believe in me will never die” -John 11:26
Our father was born in Kegalle on August 1936, the fourth in a family of 16 siblings. He got married to our mother Helen in 1963. When they began their life together, they lit an altar lamp and prayed for the guidance of God almighty. This flame is still being lit for the past 52 years, with all the ups and downs that life gives us.
He was a devoted, faithful and committed Catholic. He believed that everything happens for good and for a reason known only to the Lord. He faced much turbulence in his life. He had to undergo numerous hardships including major accidents, sustaining serious injuries. Under all circumstances he never lost his faith in God and because of his faith and prayers he miraculously came out of every serious problem to look after us.
Our father Donald Amerasinghe was a civil engineer by profession. He served the nation in key construction projects from 1956 to 2006, for 50 long years in various capacities as Site Manager, Project Engineer and Project Manager in many areas of the country. Some of the major projects he was involved were Gal Oya Development Project, Polpitigama Hydro Electric Scheme, Katunayake Airport Project, Lakshapana, Maskeliya Oya and Udawalawe Hydroelectric Projects, Anuradhapura New Town Water Project, Cod Bay Fisheries Harbour Project, Bowathenna Tunnel, Kandy-Mahara road upgrade and Water Filtration Plant, Ambatale. He served at the Ceylon Development Engineering Company with dedication and loyalty for 21 long years. After 1984 he rendered his service to many companies involved in construction, irrigation and roadways until he retired from ICC (International Construction Consortium Ltd.) in 2006.
In 1974, he was instrumental in the construction of the Fr. Joseph Vaz Chapel at Wahacotte, which he considered as the most memorable work in his life. This was when he was stationed in Naula during his days working at Bowatenna, when Rev. Fr. Gregory Liyonidas was the Parish Priest.
Our father was a total family man, a thorough gentleman with an ever willing nature to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. As an active Catholic he regularly attended Mass and other religious services despite being a busy and responsible professional serving in remote areas. He never failed to find time to spend with his family. He was a peace-loving person who never went to sleep carrying anger in his heart. Whenever the family faced misfortunes and disasters, which were numerous, he stood firm and provided indispensable support to face them bravely and overcome with the guidance of the Almighty God. All this is said to glorify our Lord in Heaven and Mother Mary for their grace towards us.
While leading by example as a loving husband and father he was also a role model for many. He joined eternal life on January 5, 2010, leaving his beloved wife Helen, loving sons, their wives, daughter, her husband and ten grandsons, four granddaughters and also many family members whose entire world revolved around him. His demise is unbearable and his memories will live in our hearts
forever.
May his soul rest in peace!
-Sons and daughter
Anne Abayasekara
Like all great people she left part of her with us
Anne Abayasekara passed away on January 4, 2015, a few months short of her 90th birthday. Many are the tributes written of her, concerning her roles as a loving wife and caring mother who allowed her children to make their own choices; as a fearless journalist who stood up for the underdog; and as a sensitive counsellor, both in church and secular circles. I had the privilege of knowing her since my teenage years, largely through her younger children, who are my contemporaries.
The first thing that strikes me is that their home telephone number is one of the few I can recall – this is because their home was used for “Youth for Christ” meetings; and also as a source for borrowing various items of their furniture when bigger public meetings took place at the nearby Ramakrishna Hall. The “Youth for Christ” style of Christianity was probably not the type that the elder Abayasekaras were used to in their lifelong commitment to the Methodist Church. But when their younger daughters joined the movement, the Abayasekara abode was open to their friends.
My second recollection is in the immediate aftermath of the July 1983 riots. I was a doctoral student in London, deeply embarrassed by my Sinhala identity in the context of the anti Tamil pogrom back at home, and frustrated at my inability to be on the spot and perform even some trivial act of contrition or reparation. That shame and frustration were somewhat alleviated when I heard from my brother that many of the refugees from the violence had been sheltered at the Abayasekara home, which served as a beacon of hope for better times.
My final story is about a letter I wrote at the end of our civil war in 2009 advocating clemency, on the grounds of mitigating circumstances, for the three doctors in the Vanni accused of making false statements to the BBC. A week later, Aunty Anne endorsed my position in a letter of her own. Not only was she siding with the underdog (nothing new for her), but she was also encouraging me in my own stand (especially since another letter hostile to my position had appeared a few days after mine). That was typical of her.
When a great person dies, we often say that it creates a void that cannot be filled. I have now learnt that we dishonour such people when we say that. As with all great people, when Anne Abayasekara shared her life with family and friends, she also left part of her with us. I am sure she has left enough of herself behind for us to fill that void.
-Prof. Priyan Dias
| Everyone whose lives she touched will invoke her name in benediction Anne was my best friend. We were kindred spirits and ‘clicked together’ as soon as we met.. She was just one year older than me. We first met in 1984 when we both joined the newly formed ‘Lanka Woman’ newspaper and had regular weekly columns. The editress used to invite the eight of us regular columnists to lunch now and then, and our friendship grew. We used to visit each other regularly, and I don’t think there was ever a week when we didn’t have a long chat on the phone. We had similar literary tastes and would often exchange books. Whenever I used a quotation in one of my articles, I would check with her if I had got the author’s name correct. The last few years, she was in the habit of inviting me and two other friends (the same three always) for lunch at her home once in three months and we would have a lovely chat. The last lunch we had with her was on October 16th. She was excited about her forthcoming 90th birthday on April 3 and looking forward to the arrival of the five children who were abroad not to mention grandchildren and great grandchildren. She often smilingly told me that her late husband Earle used to refer to their brood as “The Magnificent Seven”. I always admired her competency on the computer. I know there cannot be many of her age who were as competent. It was in December 1995, one day when I watched her on the computer that I took courage and started typing and emailing my articles on the computer to send to the press. She was present at our 65th wedding anniversary service, in August 2013, and published a beautiful article for the event. Three months ago, in October, she attended my husband’s 90th birthday service, and wrote about it to the papers. When her daughter Anusha’s appreciation of Earle appeared in the Sunday Times of December 28, I rang her to tell her that that was a wonderful piece of work. She said that many others too had rung her to say the same. Her annual Christmas article appeared on December 21, and on that occasion too, I rang and congratulated her. She was a very caring, compassionate person, and everyone who came into contact with her loved her for that reason. She had a clear and concise mind. Everything was at her fingertips. Her knowledge was immense. There was nothing she wrote that she did not adorn. Through it all, her faith and trust in God shone through like a beacon. Her articles in the Sunday Times were always looked forward to. Everyone whose lives she touched will invoke her name in benediction. On December 31st, she rang me to wish me a Happy New Year, and on the 4th of January, she was gone! I just can’t come to terms with the fact that never again will I hear her familiar voice saying “Hello, Therese”. Now that she has left us, there is a terrible void. Hers was a life well lived. Countless others will feel her loss. I pray for her immediate family that God will strengthen them in their loss. May we meet on that beautiful shore. -Therese Motha |
Jessie Rajendram
A beloved wife who was caring and sacrificing
This was my 12th Christmas without my beloved wife. I thank God for her exemplary quiet life. Always caring and sacrificing, which fashioned and influenced my life and that of our children.
Though we miss your physical presence, we are united with you in prayer. We know that you are now in the safe Arms of Jesus.
-Anton Rajendram
NARASIMHAN SADASIVAN
We have lost a brother and generous friend
Narasimhan Sadasivan, “Sada,” to many, passed away on Tuesday, December 9, 2014, after a futile battle against kidney disease and ischemic heart in Chennai. He was born on January 25, 1947.
Sada hailed from a distinguished family. His grandfather, Shankar Iyer, was the original immigrant to Ceylon post WW1, and, with Unilver buying out his flourishing business, became its islandwide sole distributor. Sada lost his dad, Narasimhan, early in life. His uncles: Mahadevan, held a directorship at Lever Brothers. Annaswamy was president at the Otters Aquatic & Swimming Club
In the 1970s, his uncles established General Metals in Kelaniya, a company manufacturing bolts, screws and nuts. Assisted by his elder brother, the late Sankaran (Babujee), Sada served as general manager in Marketing & Sales, with his uncle Annaswamy, father to Ramani, at the top. Every Saturday afternoon, it was a serene practice for them all to repair from office to the Otters for drinks and lunch, returning to their spacious home, Eunice in Alexandra Road, Wellawatte, Colombo. After General Metals went up in flames during the horror of Black July 1983, the entire lot relocated to Chennai in India.
He held the prestigious position of secretary of the Lions Club of Moratuwa-Ratmalana under the presidency of the late Sriyan de Silva, and was succeeded by Fazli Sameer. It was the hard work and dedication of Sada and Sriyan which won the Moratuwa-Ratmalana Lions Club many prestigious awards during their famous tenure.
Amongst other close Lions associated with him were Sam the Man, Mohinudeen Rajabdeen, and Farid Cader.
Sada loved playing contract bridge, badminton, table tennis and tombola. In the good ole days of the 1960s and 1970s we formed the Bridge Circle with Sada as its dynamic axle. Small friend-groups joined to form a solid team: Sriyan de Silva was there; Marzook Sheriff came in with Faizer Hashim; Lal de Silva with Anura Weerakoon; Sumith Siritunga with Ranjith Perera and Haji Rasseedeen; the Sameer brothers: Fazli, Firoze and cousin Rizvi Zaheed; the Bridge Circle had come to stay! Sadly, Sriyan was the first to depart followed by Lal, and now Sada.
Travel was Sada’s other love. Remarkable were those adventurous trips we made in his black Ford Consul saloon
skid-driving through the A9 Highway; a short break at the Omanthai Ranch owned by his friend Markandayer, better known as Marx alias Omanthai Maharajah, the renowned rice cultivator cum landed proprietor in that region; finally reaching his rice mill in Nedunkerni in Vavuniya. Nedunkerni was later occupied by the dreaded LTTE. We once did a daring drive from Nedunkerni to Tissamaharama, where our great colleague Sumith Siritunga ran his Foto Safari Services with a fleet of Landrovers transporting tourists into the Yala sanctuary.
Amidst several trips upcountry, a memorable one was in the cool climes of Watawala tea estate where its Superintendent, the late Fazly Jiffry, grandly hosted the crowd in April 1973. Therein on that unlucky 13th day we learned of the demise of ex-PM Dudley Senanayake in Colombo. It was truly a memorable shindig which many a participant would gleefully remember today.
Sada used to enjoy his leisure at the Colts Cricket Club and the Otters Aquatic & Swimming Club with close friends; a Brahmin vegetarian, Sada enjoyed his devilled potatoes, his VSOA and his cigarette to the hilt. Another weekend haunt of ours was the Moragolla Rest House, where the lunch was typical Sinhala and extremely delicious.
His generosity in treating friends was legion. Always living it up and enjoying every moment.
Sada was adept in the general knowledge game he devised wherein we used to pose questions to each other. He being an Old Boy of S. Thomas College as against us Old Royalists made the questions and responses all the more thrilling! His stentorian voice in any conversation on varied topics was clearly recognizable. Sada was also a voracious reader, music lover, and film-goer.
We have lost a brother as much as Jayanthi lost her husband and Saraswathy (Sachu), and son Eashwaran (Eshu), lost their dear dad. His son-in–law Kasi and daughter-in-law Sundara Kanchini (Swarna) together with grandkids Aswatha and Abhirama, will truly miss him.
Thanks dear Sada for all those good times we had with the gang in an environment of peace and tranquility. Such sweet memories are etched in our hearts and we relive them in silent moments of reflection.
-Fazli and Firoze Sameer
Dhammadinna Lakshmie De Lanerolle (Nee Seneviratne)
We wish that you would be our mother again
It’s almost two years since our dear mother departed, but the pain and heartbreak is still intense. As time draws close to her second death anniversary we feel so sad and lost and wonder how we can carry on this pain.
We try to take solace in trying to continue the meritorious deeds she did while she was alive. The annual Vesak Dhamma sermon at the Kalutara Bodhiya and the yearly almsgiving at the Galduwa Monastery in September was done the way she always wanted it. We try our best to follow to the letter the things she wants in these punya-karmas not leaving anything out. Every month on the 21st dane is offered to the monks at the Kambha temple in Canberra and on the 28th to the monks at Sri Niwasaramaya at Kalutara.
The commemoration of her second death anniversary will fall again in January 2015. There will be a Bana Sermon followed by a Sangikka dana at her residence in Kalutara. It is our fervent hope that the merits gained through these deeds can be bestowed on her so that her journey through Sansara could be painless and brief.
The two of us are very fortunate to be your daughters and we are so grateful for the unconditional love you showered on us which we feel continues to bless us. Dear Mother, we miss you very, very much -the grief and hurt still lingers on, but the precious memories will last for the rest of our lives. We wish that you would be our mother again till you reach the eternal bliss of Nirvana.
Your ever-loving daughters.
–Devika and Arunika