A tribute to centenarian Gerald Upatissa de Alwis
View(s):Gerald’s father Samuel George Ernest De Alwis was one of the eldest brothers of my father Felix from a family of thirteen. Gerald had two siblings Mervyn and Rosabelle.
Gerald was an English trained teacher with an excellent command of the English language. After a brief period as a teacher he joined the Social Services Department in 1948. It was when he was Administrative Assistant (a very senior staff post in the GA’s office) of the Department of Social Services that he was posted to Galle. He was a dedicated public servant who displayed a high sense of honesty and integrity displaying the values he acquired from Richmond College Galle and as a devout Methodist.. His dedication paid dividends as he rose to various positions in the government as Assistant Director Small Industries, Assistant Controller of Imports and Exports, and finally as a Director of the Land Reform Commission.
Gerald was much respected by his subordinates and superiors alike.
Gerald and I had a generation gap, but that did not hinder my very close association with him as I happened to be a “boarder” with him when he lived at Humbalwalla Road, better known as Richmond Hill Road, Galle. His wife Stephanie was faithful, loving and caring. They had five children – Niranjala, Savithri, Aloma, late Gihan and Chandi. Gerald was indeed able to reciprocate the caring he received from Stephanie when she was also unwell.
I recall how when I was boarded at his home in Galle , someone’s calf used to stray into his land and destroy all his crops. He attempted to chase this calf with a stone that hit the calf on its forehead resulting in its death. We put the calf in the boot of his Ford Anglia CL 5064 and managed to dump it at the Hiyare tank jungle premises in the night.
I recall him correcting my English when I was boarded with him. He wrote his memoirs which is a rare publication with details of our families and personalities in school also including his adventurous trips to the Holy Land and the Great Canyon. His book showed his ability to remember details and the capacity to quote the Scriptures. He had implicit faith in God.
Gerald was a health fanatic. He perhaps took this to extremes sometimes walking from his home at Nawala to Colombo Fort in shorts carrying a bag which enabled him to purchase fruits whilst on his walk. Perhaps that is what has kept him going all these years!
The funny side of his walking was once when he was in the USA he got lost and apparently had gone from one state to the other.
Gerald as a student was boarded with my parents in Kollupitiya during the second world war and he remembers their love and care and never failed to visit them later.
After the tsunami in 2004 my eldest sister Fidelia had set up two orphanages for girls and boys, and Gerald donated money several times. I am also aware of the projects he had funded with his children for a school they had established in his mother’s land in Hapugala, Galle in memory of Gihan and Stephanie.
Nihal De Alwis
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