She was our ‘go to’ person
Two years have gone by since we woke up on that Sunday morning to the awful news, “Joanie has passed away.” .
Joan was a driving force in all our lives. She was our rock, always there, always ready to lend a helping hand. Leaving no stone unturned, she looked out for everyone, not only in our extended family, but friends and acquaintances as well. She was our ‘go to’ person for just about everything.
Joan lived a life governed by simple precepts: her unshakeable faith, her love of family and her sense of duty and responsibility. Family always came first with her. Her devotion to her much loved, late husband Anil, beloved children, and adored grandchildren, as well as all of us cousins and our families is something that will always be cherished. Her work ethics were formidable; no one could ever question her dedication and sense of responsibility to her job. She was forthright and fearless and would brook no corruption; she never deviated from calling it as she saw it and stood firmly for what was right.
She balanced all of this with running her house, keeping a beautiful, welcoming home for everyone, and cooking delicious repasts from scratch. Her sense of duty was just as phenomenal: be it being there when someone needed her, remembering people’s special days, showing her gratitude for any help given to her, entertaining visitors from abroad or finding solutions to all the problems laid at her door...
Retirement never slowed her down, but it did give her time to indulge in her hobbies, finding innovative ideas for decorating her home, and turning out every dish possible, especially her signature pavlovas. Her most cherished time, were the hours she spent with her two beautiful granddaughters; the photographs she sent me are a testament to her love and pride in them.
Words are so inadequate to pay tribute to this wonderful, caring woman who has left such a void in our lives. We will miss her indomitable spirit, her ‘’never say die’’ attitude in the face of any odds, and mostly her loving care for us all.
Rest in peace beloved cousin, you will forever be the binding force in our lives.
Lilani Ranasinghe