The oldest living Visakhian celebrates her 102nd birthday
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Cicily Wimalasuriya (centre) surrounded by her family
A grand old lady from Down Under, considered the oldest living Visakhian celebrated her 102nd Birthday on March 17.Cicily Wimalasuriya (nee Wijegunewardene), was born at Ovitigala, Matugama and presently lives in Sydney, Australia with her only daughter Suneetha (Kanthi), also an old Visakhian. She migrated to Australia nearly 25 years ago after the demise of her husband late H . L Wimalasuriya, former Commissioner of Examinations.
Her 102nd birthday was celebrated in a modest way with her three children and their extended families at her daughter’s residence in Glenwood with a family lunch followed by a simple tea party for her friends in Australia. It was a family reunion where her two sons and their families travelled all the way from Colombo to be with her on this special day.
Her 100th birthday in 2017 coincided with the centenary of Visakha Vidyalaya, and the old Visakhians in Sydney had as part of the school centenary celebrations organized a sangika dhana and Cicily was invited to offer an atapirikara at that alms giving.
She is a Visakhian of the Motwani era, and had been a hosteller, and recalls how the principal, Mrs Motwani used to play netball and tennis with the hostellers in the evenings, and the hostellers’ visits to Vajirarama Temple. She is very happy and proud that her daughter and both her daughters-in-law, Devika Sarathchandra and Rohini Gomes are all Visakhians.
Cicily has been blind for the past nine years, but attends to her own affairs even coming down the stairs on her own for all meals, having her daily bath etc. Apart from her eyesight, Ciciliy has no other major health complications, and has a perfect memory of the past. Until she was 92, she used to make an annual trip to Sri Lanka all by herself for two to three months, to meet up with her relations and friends, which she enjoyed very much. She is the only surviving member of her family of four brothers and three sisters.