Appreciations
View(s):Cherished memories will always remain
Devshan Weerasekera
To your parents your arrival to this world
was all their pride and joy
Watching you grow and mature with time,
Wondering with anxiety and excitement
to see you as a wonderful boy
Human life will one day come to an end
No one knows how and when
Yet, when the time has come to depart
We all should be ready by then
Yes so painful is the truth,
Untimely you had to go
It is the time you only started to taste life
with experiences much more
‘Live and die’ this is the cycle of life
We are all subject to, and should accept it without any fear
Although we would have to part from those
Who are to our hearts so dear
Thoughts and memories of a worthy child
like you is never easy to forget
You lived your life though to an abrupt end
with achievements great
and performances splendid
all in the best way you can get
Time will gradually heal the hearts
that will always grieve for you
But the cherished moments
and treasured memories of you
Will always warm our hearts
And kindle the immortal spirit in you
The love and affection you shared with us
in our hearts will always remain
Though lasting memories of you
will always bring us to silent tears
May the bliss of Nibbana you attain
Mrs. H. de Silva
To my Guru who inspired many and
won their respect, affection
BASIL ILANGAKOON
I was a teenager when I first walked into Basil Ilangakoon’s economics class at Aquinas College. He taught us Principles of Economics, not the most exciting area of this dismal science. During his lectures he dictated no notes, passed out no printed material and hardly resorted to the blackboard.
Nevertheless he was able to capture our attention because of his infectious enthusiasm, exceptional grasp of the subject matter, brilliant presentation and charismatic personality. This foundation in Economics that he laid enabled me to go on to further studies in this discipline and to practise it as a profession.
Several years later I would join the staff of the Social and Economic Development Centre where Mr Ilangakoon was Director. After a career in the public service and at Marga, he had taken up the challenge to head the social action arm of the Church.
Mr.Ilangakoon was a born leader. He had the gift of inspiring people, of winning their affection and respect and motivating them to loyally follow him. Professionally he was a model for all of us who worked for him. And the instruction and training that we had the good fortune to acquire under him would equip us and prepare us for the challenges and demands that we would encounter throughout the rest of our working life.
He took a genuine interest in each of us as individuals. He was concerned about our personal welfare, our families and our career. He did everything to equip us intellectually and professionally so that we could go on to achieve our full potential. He instilled in us a sense of our own worth, a confidence in our abilities and the ambition to excel.
In his personal life he was devoted to both his wife Therese and his siblings. He was a friend of the great and influential and a champion of the marginalised and forgotten. In a world that became increasingly polarised and sectarian he was a universalist, a pluralist and cosmopolitan.
To me, over many decades he was teacher, boss, guide and inspiration. He was our revered mentor; my Guru.
Jayantha Somasundaram
Thank you Seeya Daddy for the devotion you bestowed on the family
Tennyson Marcus Peiris (T. M. Peiris)
The 60th death anniversary of my grandfather fell on September 15.
I only faintly remember him, as I was only three years old when he left this world. My brother Trilanth was born 11 months after his death and my grandmother’s wish had been to give him my grandfather’s initials, T. M. Peiris.
He was ‘Seeya Daddy’ to us. He was also referred to by that same endearing term by my Peiris cousins Ninesh, Nilendirini, Sharika and Dilhani. ‘Daddy’ was the term used for him by my Aunt’s children.
I still remember one special occasion where he brought me a toy; a doll on a bicycle, which he specifically showed me how to operate whilst keeping me on his lap. I could still remember the white full suit he was wearing on that day. This is the only memory I have of my dear Seeya Daddy.
I also recall my thatha telling me all of Seeya Daddy’s good qualities and the love and devotion he had for the family. He had a good voice and used to play the violin while singing. Sometimes my grandmother would also join him and the two would sing hymns together.
Even my amma used to tell me that Seeya Daddy treated her as one of his own daughters and he had been very close to my maternal grandparents too.
My two uncles (Loku Bappa Tilney and Podi Bappa Dudley) were very young when Seeya Daddy passed away and they must have missed him badly at that time. Nevertheless they followed Seeya Daddy’s footsteps and served God to the best of their ability and they were both local preachers in the Methodist Church.
More than anything else, I am thankful to Seeya Daddy for giving me and my malli a loving and caring father who loved us so much and did everything for us.
May your soul rest in peace until we meet again on that beautiful shore.
Your loving grand daughter Trishanthi Peiris Fernando