Appreciations

Mary Sylvia Fernando:

Lady with a vast knowledge

Two months have passed since the demise of my mother-in-law, Mary Sylvia Fernando. As we get ready for the customary third month daana and bana rituals, I feel I should pen a few words to tell the world how much she meant to us, all her children, and the positive impact she left behind.

My mother-in-law died on August 27, 2011. She was 79-years-old when she passed away and was fairly in good health till she succumbed to a major heart attack that left her unconscious and made her leave the world peacefully within a short span of time, without suffering.

I got to know this lady 29 years back, when I married her son Palitha Fernando. She was a Catholic by birth and changed her religion after getting married to a family of staunch Buddhists and was dismayed initially to find her eldest son getting married to a Catholic who did not wish to change her religion. However subsequently, she adjusted to the idea after the birth of her grandchildren, my two sons Viran and Rajiv. We got on with each other amiably.

She hailed from Waikkala, Negombo and was the youngest daughter of Chakrawarthige Pedrew Fernando and Ellen Beatrice Fernando. When she married my father-in-law Thomas Fernando, she was barely out of her teens and at the time of my father-in-law's demise, they had spent 50 years together.

She was a devout wife and looked after my father-in-law, especially during the last seven years when he was partially paralysed and bedridden, ministering to all his needs personally, with total devotion, risking her own health.

My mother-in-law was in possession of a vast wealth of knowledge and practical good sense that made all her children, their spouses and her grandchildren love her and respect her immensely.

She was a wise woman who learnt from her mistakes quickly and never repeated them. She had a strong sense of justice and fairness in dealing with people, specially her children. It was she, who taught me more than my own mother, the value of leading a simple life, devoid of unnecessary grandeur and the habit of saving. She inculcated in all children a strong sense of fair paly and decency and wished only to see the bond between her children Palitha, Amitha and Geetha to grow even stronger in years to come.

She disliked travelling and went out very rarely shunning public places and gatherings.

Her eyesight was failing lately, due to a rare disease, but she had sufficient vision to enjoy her favourite past time of watching television, and as I write this article I still hear her child like laughter in response to my husband's incessant but gentle teasing when ever he visited her. My sister-in-law Geetha looked after my mother-in-law with loving care, during the last few years and the other children owe her and her husband Luxman a deep debt of gratitude. My mother-in-law and I shared our Christian names "Sylvia" to the great joy of my father-in-law, who adored his wife and was exceedingly fond of me. In keeping with the wishes of my mother-in-law, we cremated her according to Buddhist rites so that the ashes of the husband and wife can be kept together.

May they attend Nirvana together!

Lalanthi Fernando

Marhoom M M Nayeem:

Devoted teacher

Marhoom M M Nayeem Haji a well-known social worker of Galagedera Madighe passed away on September 3 at the age of 71. He was known to me last three decades when I was a staff member of Madina National School - Madawala Bazaar in the period of 1967-1972. Nayeem master was educated at Nugawela Central College (Sinhala medium) and got through SSC.

On January 23, 1961, he was appointed as a Sinhala Assistant teacher to Madina Central College (National School). After completing his teacher training at Katukurunda Teachers College he was served as a Sinhala assistant teacher at K/Innigala Muslim Vidyalaya, K/Madina National School - Madawala Bazaar, K/Gampola Zahira College, and Galagedera Jabbar Maha Vidyalaya (National School) up to his retirement on December 16, 1996.

He married Fathima Haneesa Nona of Katugastota. His noble qualities and his duties which he carried out to everyone's satisfaction helped to win many hearts.

He served as a member of Galagedera Jumma Mosque Trustee Board and other social activities.

May he attain Jannathul Firdhous.

H A Shakoor