A. Wilton de Zoysa:
My father, my inspiration
Thaththa, seventeen years have passed since you left the world and I miss you more than ever. I wish you had hung on just a little longer, so you could have been there as my role model to direct and guide me when I needed you. You never asked me for anything but always told me to do my duty with dedication, commitment and integrity. As I try to bring myself to write this to pay tribute to you, we are now without both our parents (as we lost Amma in 2015) who have given so much to us.
During the last few days you spent with me, I wanted to tell you how much you meant to me and how grateful I was for all what you have done. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to say how much I appreciated and loved you, as you were losing strength day by day. Even then, I still refused to consider the possibility of you leaving us forever.
When I visited you last at your ancestral home at Balapitiya, you never opened your eyes but very consciously told me where to purchase a mask I had wanted for a friend. You had the willpower not to open your eyes probably because you knew it would be difficult for us to let go of each other. I still remember that moment, when I tried hard calling you to open your eyes, but you did not, since you had accepted the reality of life.
My father’s quiet mannerisms, patience, courage and foresight were lessons we learnt, which are keeping him alive in our memory, never to fade. Besides, I remember his efforts together with my beloved mother to impart a sound education to his children, being a devoted school Principal of yesteryear.
He was a simple person and a devoted Buddhist, very methodical and a disciplinarian. I followed his path and am in the habit of filing records and data in my personal life.
Thaththa was my mentor, confidant, advisor and friend. I laughed with him, cried with him, argued and even fought with him because we were so very close and fond of each other. Honesty, integrity and confidence were the hallmarks of thaththa’s personality. He dealt with every situation relating to family, relatives or at school with utmost honesty and transparency. I am yet to meet someone who outshines thaththa in honesty. He earned lots of friends from all walks of life and treated everyone with the same respect.
Today, reminiscing through your life, I know that it is these two principles which you lived by that helped you to lead the contented life that you led. First, you were a wonderful husband to Amma. Your relationship with Amma was characterised by companionship, transparency, constant communication, mutual trust, appreciation and unconditional care.
Thaththa, you appreciated us for what we were and trusted us to the extent that unknowingly you built a moral binding in us to be always trustworthy of others. Your love, appreciation and trust were the key ingredients that moulded us to be the children we are, today. However, it did not stop you from instilling discipline in us, being strict with us when the situation demanded and building in us a strength of character. We note with gratitude the positive comments of others on our ability to go through life with zest, responsibility, honesty and conviction.
Your spirit and what you have given us will always remain and make us better people for having had you as a great father. No one can fill the emptiness I feel in my heart without your physical presence, I know your spirit is with me and pray that you will always be with me.
As practising Buddhists we are aware of the impermanence of life. Though not in extremes he lived according to Lord Buddha’s preaching with the least of wants. May you attain the Supreme Bliss of Nirvana with Amma right by your side.
Loving and affectionate daughter
Damitha de Zoysa
Emilda Devapriya Somaratne nee Karunaratne:
Her beautiful smile radiated her goodness and inner peace
My beloved sister Devapriya went to be with her precious Lord Jesus on December 21, 2017. It is hard to accept that we won’t see her smiling face, or hear her gentle voice guiding us, any more.
Akka was born on April 18, 1943, the second in a family of five. She was just fifteen months older to me. For some reason that I cannot recall, we were in the same class in school from Grade I. Though we were totally unlike each other in looks and in temperament, we were often mistaken for twins. We were the best of friends, studying and playing together. It was hard for me when we were separated in the O/L class when she went into the Arts stream as she excelled in Arts subjects, and I was selected to do Science.
Akka made her distinctive contribution as a student at Methodist College being appointed a Prefect for two years – Vice Captain of a House for one and Captain for the other. She was also the Leader of the Sinhala Debating Team and a member of the English Debating Team. She entered the Peradeniya University in 1961 to read for her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics.
She married Prof G P V Somaratne in 1966 and accompanied him to London when he went to read for his Ph D in History. She was his devoted and caring wife for 52 years.
On their return to Sri Lanka in 1969, she joined the tutorial Staff of her Alma Mater Methodist College. She was a gifted teacher, having the skill to kindle an interest in her students, in the subjects she taught, History, Sinhala and Economics in the O/L and A/L classes.She was a strict disciplinarian but earned the warm affection and loyalty of her students, as they sensed her genuine concern and interest in their welfare.
Akka was an undergraduate when there was a revival of Sinhala Drama under the influence of Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra. This exposure gave her the vision and skill to direct ‘Chora Pabbathaya’ and ‘Sakkaya Ditthi’ two highly successful stylised Sinhala dramas. Students and staff alike were devastated when akka gave up teaching in 1982. She had been invited to join a team who had taken on the challenge of editing a new Sinhala translation of the Holy Bible spearheaded by the Ceylon Bible Society. She felt that part time involvement was insufficient to do justice to such a tremendous task. Though she loved her profession as a teacher, she willingly gave it up, as she was convinced that this was God’s calling to her. She was also responsible for editing a Sinhala Study Bible which had not existed before. She was also actively involved in supporting her husband in helping with research, editing and proof reading the many books he has written in the past two decades which have enriched Christian literature. She was indeed “the wind beneath his wings.”
Akka was the epitome of simplicity, often dressed in white. She shunned jewellery, wearing only a simple pair of ear studs. Her adornment was her beautiful smile which radiated her goodness and inner peace. Akka’s compassion and caring knew no bounds. She would reach out to those in need and those who were hurting, and was able to comfort, encourage and heal. She was always ready to lend a helping hand, paying school fees for less affluent students at Methodist College, providing a regular supply of dry rations to families struggling to make ends meet, all without publicity or fanfare.The maid who came to help with cleaning, tearfully told me that akka had given her Rs 1,000/- to buy Christmas presents for her two little boys just before she entered hospital in December.
Akka was a gifted speaker but never tried to show off. She never used big words or high flown theology. Her words were simple and touched the hearts of her listeners and made an indelible impact. When she prayed, we felt that she had a ‘Hot Line’ to Jesus.
Akka leaves a son Dasharatha (a Chaplain in the USA Army) and a daughter Prarthana Devi (a Primary School Teacher) both residing in the United States . She provided them with love, support, and guidance and most of all inculcated in them a steadfast love for their Saviour Jesus.These two well balanced, outstanding young people are witness to her good parenting. Akka has 8 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. She was the beloved ‘Priya Akka’ to her many cousins and a much loved ‘Loku Achchi’ to her grand nieces and nephews.
After akka’s demise, many of her past pupils at Methodist College, scattered in Sri Lanka and abroad contacted me to express their sympathy. Many said, they are who they are today because of the sound moral and Christian values instilled in them by their beloved teacher at a young and impressionable age.
Goodbye my dearest akka. Your departure has left an aching void in our lives. We will hold you in our hearts and find comfort in the sure knowledge that you are safe in the arms of Jesus. We look forward to the glorious day when we will meet again, beyond the sunset.
Dr. Suriyakanthie Amarasekera
Mohamed Anwar A. Azeez :
We lost the soul of our family
“The ones that love us never really leave us”. The sad reality of this dawned on me on May 26, Ramazan 9th, when our beloved father passed away at the age of 86, peacefully, in his residence.
A product of Zahira College, Colombo, he was a Consultant Gemmologist FGA (Lon) MGA, Dip.in-B.M.Dip in Jour., former Director, Beruwala Gem Identification & Allied Service, former Proprietor Beruwala Gems & Jewels and Ziham Traders, Beruwala, and a pioneer in heat treatment of gems and a dealer and exporter of gem.
He did tremendous service to all communities during his presidency at the Beruwala Lions Club. He built up the spiritual society in China Fort, while he was President of “Jammiathul Ahwaanul Shazuliya”. He was also the former Chairman of Zaviyathul Ibrahimeeya, Katukurunda. In addition, he was a good cricketer. My father worked at the Health Ministry as an auditor.
He had five boys and a girl, two of them graduates of the Colombo University, one in California, U.S.A., and the other is a Director at Aitken Spence. He has six grandsons and nine granddaughters, all of who attend leading schools in the country.
Punctuality was my father’s motto. He was a rare gem, and a person of his calibre is difficult to find in this era. My mother always supported him during his lifetime.
Both my parents’ piousness cannot be described in words. Any needy would not return empty handed from “Gem Rise Residence”. His last words were, “always be grateful to your parents and to the nation of your country”.
May Almighty Allah grant my beloved father ‘Jannathul Firdous’.
Mohamed Imtiaz Anwar (son).