Congratulations Vincent!
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Vincent Jayatilaka
It was a day of celebration. Happy memories were shared and history was made for the family of Vincent Jayatilaka on September 10 as the father of seven celebrated his 100th birthday giving thanks to his Saviour.
The story of Vincent Jayatilaka began in Malaysia where he was born to Charles and Clara Jayatilaka. He had three siblings – Walter, Merline and Robert. His father, an engineer was given the contract to build the ‘causeway’ separating Malaysia (then Malaya) and Singapore. After the completion of the causeway and at the end of the contract Charles Jayatilaka and his family came back to their ancestral home in Bandarawela.
Vincent had his nursery education at Clifton Girls School, Kandy, then joined St Peter’s College Bambalapitiya in 1931, where he carried away the prizes for General Proficiency, Botany, Geography, Art (he competed with Richard Gabriel) in the Primary. His prize was “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea” by Jules Verne.
In 1942 he joined the Army and served in the Second World War until 1946, as a Sergeant of the Ceylon Garrison Artillery. While in the Army, he met and married Rita Beatrice Davy on June 26. He is the father of seven – Brian, late Terrence, Romany, Maureen, Desmond, Maryse and Shiranee.
After the war, he worked at the Ceylon Tobacco Company as a Wharf Clerk and rose to be Departmental Supplies Manager until his retirement at age 55.
Helping friends and organisations in need is foremost in Vincent’s mind. He worked tirelessly with Fr Frendo, the Dominican nuns and the Building Committee to collect funds to build St Theresa’s Church, Thimbirigasyaya.
Many more happy years Vincent!
Yoga Perera
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