He led by example

On January 27, it will be a quarter century since our dearly beloved father and grandfather Allan Eustace Gunawardena slipped the surly bonds of this earth and entered God’s heavenly home. During these past 25 years we have felt an immense void, and a sorrow-filled emptiness.

An illustrious product of Wesley College, Colombo, he played a leading role in the affairs of the Wesley College Old Boys Union, and was elected to be the Vice President of the Union. Today, a prize is awarded in his name for the best student in English literature in Year 11 at Wesley.

After some years of public service in the Treasury, he became a highly respected school principal at a private school in Colombo. He took a keen interest in developing the school, and worked tirelessly, both as a teacher of English and as the principal, to help mould the students who came under his tutelage.

As a father and grandfather, he had endless love for us. He was a loving and faithful husband to our mother and grandmother, and they were fortunate to celebratetheir golden wedding anniversary in 1994. He had high values and led by example. We hope that his sound work ethics, depth of intellectual curiosity, unflagging loyalty, humility, and abiding sense of goodness and decency, are traits that will remain with us and we will be able to live up to the example that he showed us year after year.

Ever sorrowing daughter and grandson