She moulded many a generation of MCites

Extracts of a tribute at the funeral service on November 1 of Mrs. Shanthi Peiris (Principal Methodist College Colombo -1968 to 1991) by current principal Mrs. Shanthi Dias

A tribute is a celebration of the life of the person, and I am sure all of you present here will agree that the life of Mrs. Peiris is truly a cause for great celebration.

Next to my mother, Mrs. Peiris had the most influence in my life and it is very curious that it should be so, because she never ever taught me. I think it is a hallmark of Mrs. Peiris’ character and Principalship that she could influence the many generations that passed through her hands, without necessarily teaching them, but merely by her character and the role she played in school. One of the chief characteristics of Mrs. Peiris, is the deep respect she evoked in everyone around her, just by her stature and demeanour.

Many are the tales that are told of her only having to enter a room to have everyone stand up. Whenever she rang the office in her retirement, we were tempted to stand up and salute although she could not see us at the other end of the line. Mrs. Mala Mendis’ brother used to tease the MCites on the staff that we valued the once-a-year, happy new-year-kiss from Mrs. Peiris so much, that we wouldn’t wash our faces in the first week of January! Very few people have this rare ability to inspire so much respect in others.

I am sure I do not need to enumerate on the many roles she played, or her many attributes, as past pupils, former teachers, past parents, and the English and Sinhala congregations of the Kollupitiya Methodist Church will all have their own memories to cherish or stories to tell.

I want to reflect on her as a person of contrasts – what her own nature and personality was like, and what her Christian faith and role as Principal shaped her to be.

Just as I spoke of the deep respect she evoked, the second thing that comes to mind about Mrs Peiris by anyone who has been through her hands, is her inflexible nature as a firm disciplinarian. I know Ravi and Mahen won’t take it amiss if I talk of her weaknesses too, but many say that convincing her of something, or giving your own explanation of something, was like banging your head on a brick wall.
I remember one of our teachers- Indira Fernando, then a junior teacher in the Hostel, was in the tea serving committee for the Sports Meet and so the staff room tea urn was taken to NCC for the Sports Meet, and loaded into the lorry afterwards, and on Monday morning it was missing. With great trepidation they all trooped in to tell her of the missing urn, and she only told them ‘replace it’. Was it her inflexible nature or was it her sense of accountability that made her do these things? If we are assigned a duty, and do not see it through to completion, who is responsible?

If Mrs. Peiris hadn’t asked for the replacement of the tea urn, there perhaps would have been many lost tea urns at Methodist College.

In contrast I want to talk of Mrs. Peiris’ flexible nature. Mrs. Peiris was a person who always wanted order and perfection, and that she could throw all this to the wind, when the need arose, and take in, together with Rev. Soma Perera, the hundreds of hurting people during the ’83 riots, without any idea as to how she was going to feed them, is a tribute to her compassionate nature and of her understanding of her faith.

I know from one school building to the next she opened up, as more and more came in, while her own home was opened to the late Mrs. Anandanayagam and her grandson, who were holidaying here at that time. I know that she personally visited the shops in the morning to try and buy bread, and all the day’s requirements, the moment curfew was lifted, in order to feed the growing number of people. It must have been harder for her because of her sense of order, to have the school filled with all these people, and the fear of having to protect them while being so close and open to the Galle Road, and this act alone, in my view, erases any accusation of inflexibility.

I want to speak of how some of her decisions and actions may have seemed like arrogance to many. Her refusal to admit Old Girls children if they did not come within the prescribed denominational category etc may have seemed unreasonable to many, but she strictly maintained the admission guidelines given to her.

I think the greatness of Mrs. Peiris was seen by what she did with her life after she left. The very first Methodist conference after her retirement, I know she offered to proof read the conference report before it was published as she had been irked by the many spelling and printing errors; she and Mr. Peiris, became members of the Sinhala congregation and gave not only leadership, but also support to both the clergy and the members.

She tutored students in English, not only those in the Sinhala congregation, but also to a family of three Royal College boys who lived down the lane. With great pride she told me that the middle one, had got 9 marks for English previously as he couldn’t even understand what the question required, but after her tutoring, had got 64 %. To me, what was impressive was that this lady who ran the school for 23 years, and produced outstanding results, could take delight in the improvement in English of the little boy she was tutoring.

Finally, I want to talk of the support she received from her family. Mrs. Peiris was the last Principal to live on the premises and was the youngest Principal to date to assume office at 32 years. On my induction day she came to the vestry before the service and she reminisced as to how at her induction, a servant had to keep Mahen, then only 1 ½ years outside during the entire service. She told me of the first few months when she still had not moved into the premises, how half way from Moratuwa to school, they would stop the car and meet up with her parents, who would take over the children. When I was a student in school, 5 minutes before any school function, the Bungalow door would open, and Mr. Peiris and the two boys would come for the school function.

My prayer is that we too, like her, can say at the end of our life; ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.’

A good friend with a heart of gold

Janaka Bogollagama

It still seems like a dream that Janaka, so full of life, laughter and ceaseless generosity, was the victim of a cruel fate that took him away from us. Janaka, Sunetra, and their daughters Sujani and Heshani have been an integral part of my life for many years. We shared each other’s joys and sorrows and were there for each other, whenever the necessity arose.

I was as heartbroken as his family, when Janaka was diagnosed with the dreaded big ‘C’ in January this year. Like them, I hoped and prayed for a miracle that would spare his life on which so many depended for survival. Janaka was a happy person, always smiling, quick with a laugh, a joke and respectful to anyone who touched his life in one way or another.

A doting father, he spared nothing in time or expense to shower on his daughters, was a devoted son and brother, and a supportive husband. As the eldest son of Mr. C.M.B Bogollagama, he never failed in his duty to his parents.

Janaka schooled at Ananda College, Colombo and was Public Schools Champion in tennis. His love of sports was obvious in his attitude and opinions; he hated injustice in any form whatsoever. He was President of the Badminton Association in the North Western Province, President of the Kurunegala Club for 15 years and was the only one from an outstation to be President of the SLTA. He was the first President of the Wayamba Chamber of Commerce.

Like his father, he was a staunch UNP supporter and a staunch loyalist of Ranil Wickremesinghe. His death leaves a irreparable void for the UNP in Kurunegala, and personally for Ranil Wickremesinghe.
I visited him often in hospital; it was only in the last two months, that he got weaker and that the illness got the better of him. Till then he was his cheerful self, enjoying chats on politics, people and events. Ranil and Maithree visited him often and I was there once when Ranil came to see him. He was not feeling too good that day, but as he saw Ranil, he sat up in bed and beamed his radiant smile.

The Ven Ahungalla Siri Seelavisali Maha Thera from Trincomalee who spoke at his funeral talked about his generosity and thoughtfulness. He mentioned Janaka and Sunetra visiting him and recalled Janaka asking him what he needed. The priest had mentioned 30 or 40 families whom he was looking after, who needed shelter and livelihood. He felt that farming would suit them for which a tractor would be useful. The fastest response he ever had to a request came from Janaka who sent the best tractor available and lorry loads of other essential needs for these homeless people. He also helped this deprived community with all their needs including the building of a school.

Janaka was a broadminded man, although a Buddhist he was insistent that he helped one and all, far beyond the narrow peripheries of caste, race and creed. The priest went on to say that when tsunami struck, Janaka was again their saviour, with lorry loads of goods for those struck by the destruction of their lives and livelihood. His largesse to one and all was wide and varied. Soon after the war started, he gifted land to 43 disabled soldiers chosen from among the poorest of the poor. He built seven temples in the North Western Province and helped churches too, whenever they requested help.
A sportsman all his life, Janaka played tennis daily, generously sponsored all sports events in Kurinegalla and was a most generous donor to all charities.

He was a good friend with a heart of gold. One cannot help but wonder, how one who gave shelter to the homeless, gave away money as fast as he made it to the needy and to his party, could suffer this cruel fate. He was just sixty on the 31st of July this year. He had so much to offer and more to give to his beloved family, Kurunegala which he loved intensely; {whenever in hospital, his one request was to be taken back to his hometown} and to his country.

Unselfish to the core, his request to his wife and family, was that he should be cremated within 24 hours of his demise; that the notice in the press should be placed after all this was over, as he didn’t want to bother anyone to attend his funeral. His ashes were taken to the sea in Trincomalee, as this was a place he loved and visited often. Just as the elephant is the symbol of his party, he loved elephants and would often travel to Trinco to be on the road at the time that the wild elephants appeared.

Farewell Janaka, treasured memories of you will always remain in the recesses of my mind.

Ilica Malkanthi Karunaratne

Truly a man for all seasons

R.G. (Reggie) Perera

How are you my dear? Reggie, my brother-in-law, would ask us in a most affable and soft-spoken tone, reflecting his genuine concern for the well-being of others. He was truly a man for all seasons, greeting you in a polite and friendly manner. In all our visits from the United States to Sri Lanka over the past 30 years, our first stop was with Reggie and Hyacinth. My wife Sheila and I used to call their friendly home in Welisara our “Arrivals Lounge” or the “VIP Lounge”. Thereafter, Reggie and Hyacinth would entertain us for a sumptuous lunch. As we mourn his sad and sudden passing away, three months ago, this is also an occasion to celebrate the life and times of Reggie, by recalling the highlights of his association with us.

Knowledge of the plantation sector was his forte throughout his working life. Following a brilliant career in school, first at St.Joseph’s College Grandpass and later at St. Benedict’s College, Kotahena, he proved to be a fast learner on joining Mackwoods for his first professional posting. As an Executive at Mackwoods, he acquired a deep knowledge of their group of tea estates and a reputation of managing these estates successfully, bringing honour and stature to the firm. His expertise proved to be a great asset when he joined the Janatha Estates Development Board (JEDB), after the nationalization of estates in the 1970s.

At JEDB he soon rose to the position of Deputy General Manager. One important contribution at JEDB, amongst several others, was his visit to London in connection with the containerization of tea exports. He had a meeting with the Mayor of London on this occasion. His other initiatives in connection with the promotion of tea exports were carried out through short visits to Pakistan and Africa. He had indeed made a great contribution to the development of Sri Lanka’s tea industry during his tenure at JEDB.

We had the good fortune of having him as a family member when he married my sister Hyacinth in the late 1960s. I can vividly recall the memorable wedding, with a beautiful ceremony at All Saints Church, Borella, followed by a glittering hotel reception in Colombo. As my father had passed away a few years prior to the wedding, Reggie, in fact, became a father figure in our extended family. Time has passed quickly indeed; Reggie and Hyacinth enjoyed their married life together, enhanced with much travel within Sri Lanka, and once to India. The spirit of adventure, exploration, zest for life, coupled with good humour were some of his hallmarks that enlivened numerous parties. In particular, he enjoyed relating interesting stories and evoking much laughter and fun.

We continued to have the good fortune of Reggie’s company, and our family gatherings were not complete without his presence. He never hesitated to offer assistance, and has helped his family members in many ways. I am grateful, in particular, for his help in the well-being of my daughters Deepthi and Shyami during my post graduate studies in England. Fishing was his great hobby.

He was a member of the Anglers Club and the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society, and took great pride in relating some of his adventures. He kept in close touch with current affairs in Sri Lanka and the rest of the world, and as a result we enjoyed many long and stimulating conversations. Reggie was a deeply religious man, and was proud to be a Roman Catholic.

Reggie is sadly missed by his wife Hyacinth, his close family members, and by his extended family. Nevertheless, we all know that he is in a far better place with his Maker. Let us remember him in our prayers.

Dr. Hilarian Codippily

A heart of gold has stopped beating and a gentle voice stilled

Donald Godfrey Ware

I wept silently when several of my former colleagues and friends rang me up to bring me the sad news of the sudden passing away of Mr.Ware. A heart of gold had stopped beating and a gentle voice stilled.
As I now look back in my own twilight years, cherished memories of yesteryear flash through my mind.

From the 1950s our association grew from strength to strength when we were co-travellers in the then Kelani Valley train which plied on the narrow gauge consuming a lot of time unlike in modem times. We were both on our way to our respective places of work. He was a voracious reader with outstanding erudition, a fine word smith with a remarkable felicity of diction, very precise in the use of the spoken and written word. We exchanged periodicals like the Readers’ Digest which made popular reading at the time. He also cheered us with his charm and light banter.

It was a lucky coincidence that we met as colleagues as Immigration Officers later on in the 1960s. Unlike in a strictly eight hour job we spent long hours together sometimes over 24 hours at the Katunayake International Airport, Ratmalana Airport and at Colombo Harbour. Our turn of duty at the then sea port of Talaimannar was for a period of one month on a roster. I was fortunate to have had the privilege of working closely with him and travelling extensively with him in his May Flower car on investigation and arrests of illicit immigrants and visa overstays covering almost all the four corners of the island.

I remember him for his dignified conduct and calm disposition. He performed his duties with dedication and commitment but was never unduly harsh and rude even to an illicit immigrant or a visa overstay. Thus, he was held in high esteem by his superiors, colleagues and subordinates. He strode like a colossus among his colleagues and associates from all walks of life. With the passage of time our relationship changed as superior and equal intermittently with each other gaining promotions culminating as Assistant Controller.

Finally, he bade goodbye to state service in Sri Lanka under a package offered to those who opted to retire under the language issue when Sinhala was made the official language. He later decided to migrate to Australia. In Australia he succeeded in entering the Commonwealth Government Service after successfully completing the entrance examination in 1984. He had retired in 1997 as Case Manager.

He was also a morally incorruptible husband and doting father who enjoyed the blissful togetherness of a happy family life.

When my wife and I visited Australia to be with our two children we were hosted as his guests right royally. It was a great pleasure to browse through his well equipped library on my frequent visits pleasurably undertaken at his request during our stay in Australia.

Goodbye! Sweet Prince. Your sacred memory will linger on in our lives like fragrance wafted on the breeze of time.

Nanda Nanayakkara

An angel now and forever

Tirzah Thambirajah

Three months have passed and we still recall
Your short life span
and the 'race' of life you ran.

Your bright big eyes and your beaming smile
Remind us always
That life is worthwhile.

You were as quick as a wink and before we could blink
You were off on an errand
A helping hand always giving.

"She loved to share", say all who knew you
Whether with young or old
Your heart was rare.

You had the gift of song and acting ability
Whether frog, bride or fairy
You relished each act!

Your giving heart and friendly nature
Have set you apart
As one we will treasure

You are now in God's presence Tirzah dearest,
An 'angel' up there, now and forever
Memories of you do warm our hearts
Our loss indeed, yet heaven’s gain.

- Primary staff of Methodist College