Remembering a generous heart

I still wonder why her family addressed her as ‘Edith’ ignoring the beautiful name given to her at her birth on April 13.

Her father was Proctor Frederick Senarath-Dassanayake from Katuwellagama Walauwa and her mother was from Debaraliyadda Walauwa in Pannala. She was the youngest in her family and when her father passed away, she was only three months old. It was her mother, my mother-in-law, a strongminded lady who brought up the family of six children by herself.

Edith spent her childhood between her ancestral home and the boarding at Newstead College, Negombo. She was my husband’s younger sister and we were married within a few months of each other. After marriage, she went to Anuradhapura where her husband Milton worked at the Conservation Board as an engineer. When we made trips to that beautiful sacred city, we took the train and they would pick us up from the railway station.

She had attended the Claremont Finishing School in Colombo and also learnt the basics of local cooking at home. She was a generous hostess. In a jiffy, she could turn out the most delicious dishes and there would be a good spread on the table.

She was always full of humour. When Milton was made redundant, it was she who kept her head up and became a businesswoman. She opened a pharmacy in Anuradhapura, and named it ‘Chintha’s Pharmacy’ (part of her real name). Between them, they were able to manage well. Soon they shifted to Boralesgamuwa, and opened a new pharmacy – P.S.S. Pharmacy and Mini Mart with the initials of their three children. She was able to give the children a good education and upbringing and they are doing well in society now, all thanks to her. When she became a grandmother, she would help with babysitting. When her elder brother became ill, she would be at his bedside all night long on many occasions. Such was her kindness to her family.

She was involved in the Housewives Association and with all her business and social work, she never failed to participate in religious activities.

Our family migrated to New Zealand and when we visited her in 2013, she had had a stroke and was seriously ill. A month later, she passed away. With her goodness she collected in life, she would certainly attain Nibbana.

Pearl Senarath-Dassanayake