Marion Patricia Karunaratne

A leading light in the Lankan community of New York city

Marion Patricia Karunaratne was born in Colombo, on March 13, 1936 to Michael Fernando and Irene Patricia Fernando.  Marion had her early education at St. Paul’s Girls School in Borella.

She completed her schooling at Methodist College in Colombo.  She married Gilbert de Silva in 1962, with whom she had their son, Rohan C. de Silva.  Marion later married Ravindra Karunaratne in New York in 1974, with whom she had her daughter Maryse.  Marion and Ravi were married for over 45 years.

Marion started her career in Sri Lanka, first working for the Swedish Consulate in Colombo.  She took a post at the Sri Lankan Mission to the UN and moved to New York in 1973.  In 1976 Marion obtained a permanent post at the United Nations, where she worked for 23 years.

Before retiring in 1996 Marion served as Associate Information Officer, Chief of the Audio-Visual Library and Radio Producer of the Anti-apartheid Unit.  She also worked on the UN Peacekeeping missions in Angola and South Africa.  In South Africa she worked as a polling officer during the first post-apartheid elections during which Nelson Mandela was elected President.

Marion was truly a giving person and passed this on to her family.  As a young working mother in New York City, Marion found the time to complete 50 hours of training to become a volunteer on the Helpline at the Marble Collegiate Church of NYC, doing the night shift on Fridays, helping people in the NY area address all levels of personal (and sometimes life-threatening) issues.  Marion also put her hands to work, volunteering at NYC soup kitchens and making and delivering sandwiches with her family to the homeless in New York.

Marion was an active member of the Sri Lankan community in New York City area. She took part in various activities with the Sri Lanka Association Incorporated (the oldest association of Sri Lankans in the US).

She also volunteered at the Sri Lankan Buddhist Vihara in Queens, NY.   She was a faithful member of St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, Ridgewood, NJ.

Marion is survived by her husband Ravindra Karunaratne, children, Rohan de Silva (Frettra de Silva) and Maryse Karunaratne Pierre (Yvette Dominique Pierre) and grandchildren, Gabriella de Silva, Mikhaela de Silva, Rohan de Silva II, Elisha de Silva and Trinity Karunaratne.

RCdeS

Sarath Sri Bhaggiyadatta

A wonderful friend and second father to me

You must be looking down on us with that cheeky smile and twinkle in your eye

I have known Uncle Sarath my entire life. He and Aunty Tania were my parents’ closest friends. Uncle Sarath and my father, Sam sang together in the infamous St. Paul’s Milagiriya choir! My father has shared many stories of the three musketeers, Uncle Sarath, Uncle Chuck and my father getting up to mischief and various escapades growing up.

My earliest memories of Uncle Sarath are from when my family visited Canada in 1987 and we stayed with him and Aunty Tania. I remember them driving us all over the country and in particular our trip to Niagara Falls. We had had a busy day and lunch was quite late by which time we were all famished. We ordered some hamburgers and when they finally came we all gobbled them down! I recall Uncle Sarath saying “What men you’ll ate those like eating buth (rice)!”

My father and he shared a close friendship. Uncle Sarath stood out for many reasons one of them being his significant stutter. My father would often refer to him  as “the stammerer” — extremely politically incorrect but such was their friendship! No pretences and as real as it gets! It is almost ironic that my chosen profession was speech therapy! My father would often tell me my ultimate test was to “cure” Uncle Sarath’s stammer! Never succeeded in doing this!

Early on I knew Uncle Sarath only as a friend of my parents, but later as I grew up and became an adult I came to know him as a friend, confidante and father figure. My fondest memories of Uncle Sarath were from when I was doing my Master’s at Bowling Green, Ohio. I would often drive to Toronto with my friend Kate. I would spend 3-4 days in Toronto and enjoy Aunty Tania’s TLC, delicious food and of course Uncle Sarath’s alcohol! His constant complaint to my parents was that my visits always left his reserves of alcohol dry and his bank account empty! I recall how the three of us would spend many evenings chatting and laughing until late into the night. His jokes, many politically incorrect (of course!) and sometimes so silly, would leave me in stitches!

B.D.S.N. Silva

A lifelong friend

A true friend and gentleman passed away on the 4th of March.

I met “Newton” or “S.N” as we called him for the first time as a  schoolboy at Ananda College Colombo. Having passed my O’ Level exam with required number of credits from Wesley College, my parents decided to send me to Ananda to do my A’ Level. When I entered the class on my first day, I did not notice anyone to me. At the short interval, a student came to me and introduced himself as Newton from Battaramulla and he said he had seen me frequently at the village. It was not an urban area then. This started a lifelong friendship.

Though burly in his physique he was soft at heart. After school I with Newton and few other classmates who were also from Battaramulla used to walk regularly all the way from Maradana to the Borella bus stand. This was one of the happiest walks. We did not misbehave, but had lots of fun because there was a girls’ school also nearby.

I still remember vividly a trip we went to Wilpattu sanctuary with a few other friends. Newton was the lead singer.

Newton lived near Subhuthipura housing scheme with his mother. His father, a police inspector had passed away when he was very small and his mother brought him up with difficulty. Newton and his mother lived in their ancestral home with the families of two of his mother’s sisters.

In the afternoons after school, I along with Mahinda my cousin went to play soft ball cricket with few other friends at an empty flat land near Newton’s home. Newton and Mahinda were our fast bowlers.

When the sun went down all of us went to Newton’s place before going home. Newton’s mother was a very unassuming, cheerful and hospitable lady. We would go straight to the dining table and lift the food cover to see what was there to eat; failing which to the kitchen to grab some food.

Some of us including Newton went to Colombo to see films. We always went for the 9.30 p.m. show riding on our bicycles. On the way we had hoppers from boutiques or buriyani at Buhari  hotel Maradana.

Newton and I were the only two from our class who were successful in entering the University of Ceylon (Peradeniya). He opted to do law while I did a special degree in Geography. Our friendship grew stronger. Newton had to come back to Colombo after one year because the law faculty shifted to Colombo.

Having passed our degrees we came back to Battaramulla. Newton had to do Law College exams to be a professional lawyer. We were unemployed. We then decided to commence a tutory in Battaramulla in a building belonging to one of Newton’s aunts. We paid fifteen rupees per month as rent. Newton and I taught English and Mahinda my cousin Arithmetic. His sister taught Mathematics. Our tutory became very popular in the area.

In later years Newton became the General Manager of the State Film Corporation. I became the General Manager of the CWE and Mahinda entered the CAS.

Newton had to face many struggles while working but never compromised his principles. He began a full practice as a lawyer in Colombo Magistrate’s court.

Newton and his dear wife Jayanthi had three children – Shanaka who lives in Australia and has an MSc in information technology from Moratuwa University, Nelusha who has an MBA from Sri Jayawardanepura university and Ruchika who has an MA in Japanese studies from Colombo University.

Newton’s memory will be lasting in his near and dear ones’ minds.

May he attain the ultimate bliss of Nibbana.

-Upali Cooray