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I hadn't seen her for a while and it came as a shock to learn that Thisula had met with a tragic accident, knocked down by a bus while riding her bicycle.

Thisula had a beautiful voice and to me was a Joan Baez, Crystal Gayle, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton and Nana Mouskouri - all rolled into one.

She would strum her box guitar and sing and you couldn't beat that voice. Folk songs fitted her perfectly.

She and Prasanna were regulars at the monthly jam sessions which brought together a nice bunch of musicians interested in folk, folk-rock and country and western music.

The duo also performed a couple of times at the Country Road concerts and Thisula made a big impact with, as some recall, a couple of Nana Mouskouri songs.

Thisula was a soft-spoken and kind individual and shared our passion for helping the needy, instantly volunteering to sing at the charity concerts. The CMF relies a lot on volunteerism which has helped the organization raise millions of rupees for needy children across Sri Lanka in a collaborative effort with UNICEF.

For hardened journalists like us, death is not a painful thing but I was jolted when I heard about Thisula's death on Wednesday, the same day she was cremated.

Ironically a few days ago I was reflecting on the 'long and winding' road of the Country Road series of concerts since 1988 and thinking about some new ideas to celebrate our 15th anniversary concert in 2007 with a big bash. On my mind was a coming together of the numerous musicians who performed at our shows.

Sadly Thisula won't be there but her unforgettable voice will remain with us forever.

In our home town of Moratuwa
People always called him captain
He flew Spitfires and Dakotas
In the golden age of aviation
I certainly could never be the pilot he was
I probably would never be as good a human being either
I would only be the captain’s son
I wish I could tell him this, but I can’t
He is long gone
That is what is so sad about it
I'm sure those of you who have lost loved ones
With things unsaid
Would know what I’m talking about

My good friend Nazeer Nana is no more. My association with him started in the early ’50s when I stayed at Maliban Street, Pettah after starting work in the Public Works Dept. Fort.

Though I was 12 years younger, he would come down to our level.

It was an interesting period of my life when we would not miss a single Hindi film that was screened in Colombo, and listened to all the Hindi song programmes over the radio.

I used to get down the Film Fare magazine, and he would go through it page by page and tell me of the happenings in the film industry in Bombay.

On Sundays he would arrange some picnic or some sport and about six or seven of us would join in. There was never a dull moment as he was such an entertaining character.

I remember the sad period when his wife was sick. He had to buy expensive drugs prescribed by the doctors.

All his earnings went for the purchase of these drugs. After her death, he was a mother and father to his four sons.

He devoted his time and money to bringing up the boys. They are a true example of the father, sincere, jovial and honest. By Allah’s grace all are on a sound footing in their particular fields of work and business.

Nazeer was one of a kind. I am sure many who knew him will agree.

May Allah grant him Jennathul Firdhouse.

He enriched our lives

Felix Premawardhana was one of that rare breed of schoolmasters who gave their entire school career to one school, Wesley College. There he was ever present 24 hours of the day living in the College flats. Like most successful teachers his work and influence did not cease at the school gates. With his background in the Baptist church he played an invaluable role as a counsellor for those in trouble.

He had considerable talents and wide interests and was a man of modesty, integrity and kindness. Felix P. influenced generations of colleagues and pupils as a teacher. Through his interest and many roles in theatre and television he became a popular household name in Sri Lanka. In the 1960’s the celebrated British dramatist Peter Schaffer’s play 'Black Comedy' was translated by Felix Premawardhana as 'Kaluware Jaramare'.This was hailed by theatre critics and the public as a great success.

Felix P. taught many subjects in the middle school. He taught ancient Ceylon history with a passion and held strong views about the original inhabitants of the island. The long held view that they were savages akin to the devil was fiercely contested and dispelled by him. History for him was a story which he related as a master story teller to a spellbound audience.

Many would remember him as an energetic teacher of the Sinhala language. He was a strong character and had an interest in academic detail. He tolerated no nonsense and we all learnt Sinhala to sail through the difficult examinations.

He was always well dressed. My abiding memory of Felix P is his well trimmed handle-bar moustache and his large frame in a cream gaberdine suit walking the long corridors of the school.

Some people, through what they are and what they do, raise our expectations of human nature and thereby lift the spirit. Felix P did this. His serenity, lucidity, composure, generosity, gentleness, compassion and sheer indomitable courage in his final illness made him an extraordinary man. He was strengthened throughout his life by his very happy marriage to Indranie and also by his son Kuvera and daughter Kuveni. To them he gave his love and guidance always. To the school he gave his entire career. Our lives have been enriched by his presence. We remember and celebrate his life and work.

Grant Him O Lord Eternal Peace

We met for the first time in the Billiard Room at the S.S.C. Later Norman and quite a few others played golf at the S.S.C. Grounds. It all started when Banda came in with an antique set of golf clubs one-day way back in the early seventies. After we finished our tennis for the evening, a few of my tennis cronies, Ubhaya De Silva, Parl Umagiliya, Earl Fernando and A.L. Dias Bandaranaike (Banda) on invitation by Banda followed him to the cricket ground, which was adjacent to the tennis courts to watch him reveal to us the mysteries of golf.

As we progressed in golf, Banda quit the group leaving, Ubhaya, Norman, Earle, Parl and me. We were hammering away in gay abandon from one end of the grounds to the other until we propelled a few wayward golf balls into the sightscreen, the Billiard Room and towards visitors lounging outside the clubhouse.

Derek and Ian Peiris were on to us in a flash. Stop immediately was the order. What followed was the beginning of our golf career. Proposed by Derek and seconded by Ian, we became members of the RCGC. From then onwards we played a lot of golf together in our 4 bell games, in Colombo, Nuwara Eliya and abroad.In the early days there used to be Dr. Shelton Jayasinghe, Dr. K.K.U.Perera,George Gomes, Chriso Abewardene, Frankie Ferrer, Ambassador Karim Marzuki from Malaysia who in fact oganised most of our foreign tours and Norman of course flitting in and out of the different four ball games we played. Norman was a good club golfer with quite a few trophies to his credit as it was in billiards. Quite early in his golfing career he mastered the art of putting. He was exceptionally good at it. He made a science of it and freely passed on his knowledge to any one who he felt needed his advice. In later years he repeatedly won many of the senior events. He had an approach to the game that was a bit different from others of his age group. Those with health concerns played the game at a lower tempo. Norman could not. Norman was competitive and needed the challenge of a tough opposition to keep him going. He pushed himself to the maximum and latterly quit by the 14th or so when he could go no further. A gentleman to his fingertips, Norman never varied his standards.