He was the cricket fanatic; she the beauty queen and girl next door.
Begun on March 30, 1949, their life together has spanned 60 of the 61 years in which Sri Lanka has been an independent state.
From life in colonial Sri Lanka, experiences of World War II evacuation, watching as a WWII plane crashed on the playing field of S. Thomas’ College, to the first ever Independence Day celebrations in Sri Lanka, theirs are reminiscences of a time when life was carefree and devoid of restriction, when a separatist conflict had not yet begun to tear the country apart. With all the good times though, they like others have had their fair share of challenges and tribulations- from moving to UK with a mere three pounds to their name, to the untimely death of a beloved daughter ten years ago.
 |
| Bertie and Dorothy: 60 years ago (top) and now (above) |
 |
On March 30, Bertie and Dorothy Wijesinha will have been married for 60 years.
Not only are they husband and wife; they are also the best of friends, and it is clear to anybody who sees them that they could not be more content. “You could say that we are soulmates,” smiles Dorothy as she looks across at Bertie fondly. The word ‘soulmate’ was not one that was widely known or used when we first got married, but it’s one of those words which really describes who we are. And I feel that in order to be able to live happily together for such a long time, being soulmates is an all important foundation.”
“I was pursuing my passion of cricket when I met Dorothy,” recalls Bertie. “We got married very shortly after that. I was 28 and Dorothy was 17.”
Dorothy, not having come from a sporting family knew little about her husband’s other love. “But that didn’t stop me from thoroughly enjoying being a cricketer’s wife!” she laughs. “Bertie was often busy with his cricket and despite not having servants at one point, taking along four little youngsters to watch their dad play was always a lovely experience- especially to see how the children idolized their father who was their cricket hero.”
Blessed with four children- Maya, Nedra, Rohan and Dameskh, the 1970’s saw the family moving to UK where the children completed their education. In 1989 they made the decision to return. “It was always the dream of our children to come back to Sri Lanka; in addition to which Bertie was offered a post to teach and coach at Trinity College,” remembers Dorothy. So we came back. And we have absolutely no regrets in the decision because whatever said and done there is no place like home; no place like Sri Lanka!”
Aside from his career in cricket, Bertie was also a teacher at S. Thomas’ and at Trinity College, Kandy where he taught English, Latin, Geography and History. He also went into journalism, becoming Sports Editor at the Ceylon Daily News and was Features Editor of the Observer between 1951 and 1969.
For some thirty years, Bertie’s was the voice of the game of cricket. Fans of all ages will, no doubt, still remember the witty and informative commentaries he gave along with his comrade and fellow cricketer Lucian De Zoysa.
Recording his career on the pitch and behind the microphone, Bertie in 2004 published ‘Cricket the Love of a Lifetime’, a coffee table book in which he covers the history of Sri Lanka cricket from its small beginnings to the huge following it has today.
As they look back on sixty years, what has made their long marriage work?
Support, tolerance and acceptance of differences, they say.
Both Bertie and Dorothy agree that married life was not always easy. One of the most challenging and heart wrenching experiences was the illness of their eldest daughter Maya who later passed away at the age of 57 in 1999. “It is not something that you can really get over, nor must you ever expect to really get over it,” says Bertie wistfully.
For the tough times though, there were countless happy experiences both here and abroad, which even time will not permit them to forget.
And on March 30, at the S. Thomas’ College chapel where they made their vows 60 years ago and singing some of the same hymns they sang that day, surrounded by family and friends, they will give thanks to God for sixty years of togetherness. |
E-mail