A vibrant lady with a heart of gold

Aunty Maurine, my father’s older sister was born 100 years ago on February 24, 1923. She passed away on February 17, 1977 at the age of 54, after a sudden cardiac arrest. It was a shock and irreparable grief for the young family to come to terms with the loss of their energetic and vibrant mother/wife.

Every other family who knew Maurine went into mourning in the days that followed. Adding to the anguish was when her only son Rohith, the apple of her eye, who was en-route from Cairo was left stranded in Bombay unable to attend his mother’s funeral.

Maurine was the second daughter of the late Dr Sir Frank and Lady Margaret Gunesekera of “Parimalapthy”, No.143, Campbell Place, Borella. Though she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth she never lost the common touch. Aunty Maurine had a heart of gold and would help anyone who needed assistance. She would welcome even a stranger to her home with open arms and make them feel comfortable by always providing a warm, friendly environment.

She was a homemaker, devoted to the family who put the needs and happiness of her loved ones before her, and had equally strong connections to others outside the family. After many years friends and relations still talk of her thoughtful deeds and actions with a sense of admiration.

She attended CMS Ladies’ College and was Head Girl during the late thirties. She was a leading cellist in the school orchestra. Being an active old girl, her involvement with school activities never ceased. One would be sure to see Maurine at CMS carnivals, sports meets and other events. She contributed with a deep sense of love and passion for her school and was wholeheartedly involved in running the school tuckshop for many years, taking pride of place at school carnivals with her much talked of food stalls.

She played a prominent role in the Methodist Church, initially Maradana and

subsequently Wellawatte Methodist Church where she last worshiped. Being a church leader at Wellawatte, she took a lead role in setting up the Wellawatte Action League which provided meals to the poor. She was instrumental in organising main church events including those with the hoir. She loved and enjoyed singing as a member of the choir. She was a popular figure in church and was loved by all.

Maurine was a tennis player. She met her ifelong partner, Edward Fernando at the ennis court in the YWCA at Union Place and it was “love at first sight’. She came rom a well-known, aristocratic and affluent amily. Her father was the personal physiian and friend to Ceylon’s first Prime Minister, D.S. Senanayake. Though her amily members did not approve of her marriage, they had a very successful and happy union with their four children, eldest on, Rohith followed by three daughters, Dharshani, Enoka and Ashika.

Maurine made a name for her catering abilities and was proprietress of a very established catering business – “Edward and Rohith Caterers” that undertook catering for weddings, birthdays, business and private functions. As I recall she made my birthday cakes each year in my childhood; airplanes, ships, nursery cartoons etc.

I have very happy memories of family trips, cricket matches, get-togethers that she organised where she treated us often to her famous lamprais and delicious desserts.

I met my lifelong partner at Aunty Maurine’s funeral house when I set eyes for the first time on Aloma, my cousin Enoka’s classmate. Similarly it was another enduring love story between two other beautiful people, a merchant ship engineer and a friend of the family, who also set eyes on each other for the first time.

Remembering an adorable aunt with affection and gratitude on her 100th birthday. May her soul rest in peace and rise in glory.