Tribute Wall
Your Tangerine Family
and 3 others have purchased flowers for the family of David Selvendran. Send Flowers
Guaranteed hand delivery by a local florist
Loading...
S
Selvanayagam Brothers and their Families uploaded photo(s)
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
/public-file/292/Ultra/Image_jpg.jpg
/public-file/293/Ultra/Image_jpg.jpg
/public-file/294/Ultra/Image_jpeg.jpeg
/public-file/295/Ultra/Image_jpg.jpg
+ 6
Q: How would you describe David to someone who had never met them?
A: David was the oldest in our family of nine boys (yes, 9, and all of them boys!).
Our parents called him “Periyathamby”, and the name stuck even though eight other “thambis” would follow in rapid succession. Affectionately, we shortened his name to “Periyaamby” and that was how he was known to all.
As the eldest among the brothers, he was the one we looked up to and he did not disappoint: he set the tone that the rest of us would follow, be it in music, fashion, films, or sport.
No doubt, David had a larger-than-life impact on all of us, growing up.
He was an ardent music fan beginning in the 1950’s, known to be the heyday of rock-and-roll.
In his schooldays at St. Sylvester’s College in Kandy, he was the proud owner of a record player and a collection of vinyl 45 RPM records.
He had a good dress sense and was fashion-conscious.
He was a cricket fan, long before it became cool for Sri Lankans to follow this sport. He was a master of cricket trivia and was interested in following any game, no matter which teams were playing.
In 1961, at the age of only 16, he travelled to Colombo to watch the mighty West Indian cricket team play at the Oval Ground.
He loved cricket so much that he once said that if he ever became immobile in old age, the only thing he wanted was to be put in a wheelchair and left on the sidelines of a cricket field. He would be content just watching the cricket the entire day.
In fact, the very last act in his life was watching, on TV, the recent T20 game between Sri Lanka and New Zealand, which began at 1 am Vancouver time.
There is a big span in the ages of us, the siblings. I, the youngest brother, am 17 years younger than David. That is, we are almost a generation apart!
In fact, to some of us, he was more of a father figure than an older brother. Whenever we went off track, he was always there to guide us back.
Only when David, along with our second oldest brother Sam, recounted various nostalgic anecdotes from our Peradeniya days did I realize what an idyllic childhood they must have had.
David was always quick with a joke and a lot of fun to be around. He had a carefree attitude about life.
He had a sweet tooth and was known to raid the kitchen, looking for his favourite snack.
He was the first in our family to own a motor vehicle of any kind. It was an Italian-made Vespa scooter. He loved to take us for rides around the neighborhood.
He was an avid moviegoer, so much so, that once, during a time of political unrest in Sri Lanka, when people were avoiding going out, he was waiting to board a bus to go to the cinema. A friend who came that way remarked: "Nee Thaan Unmaiyana Rasihan!" which translates to "You Really Are The True Fan!"
He began working at the University of Colombo in the late sixties. He used to live in Wellawatte in those days, coming home to Kandy on some weekends. He was then transferred to the Peradeniya campus, and later, to the University of Jaffna.
He cared for and helped us, his younger siblings, and our parents in many, many ways.
He loved our mother so dearly and when she was living by herself, he found her a place close to his work so that he could visit her morning and evening every day to check on her well-being.
He was well respected by his colleagues but, just as his career seemed to be taking off, he had to drop everything to come to Canada to make a better life for his own young family. Which he did, against all odds, in a new and unfamiliar land.
Needless to say, he was adored by his family. Over the last 33 years, he has made several visits to Sri Lanka to spend quality time with his loved ones.
We have never known David to say a bad word about anyone, let alone hold a grudge. He was a calm person, not easily rattled, and a great listener. We knew we could go to him with our problems.
While David spoke of death as a certainty that must take place eventually, it was not something he obsessed about. Despite the burdens of his illness, he carried on with hope.
He cherished his grandchildren and wanted to spend more time with them. He was optimistic about travelling and was even planning a trip to Hampshire, England to visit our cousin.
We were blessed to have Periyaamby, Our Dearest Big Brother, in our lives.
He had so much to offer, and so much to live for, but has been taken too soon from us.
However, God has His plan for everyone, and we take solace in knowing that we will meet him again.
In the sweet bye and bye, we shall meet on that beautiful shore.
Our Dearest Big Brother will never be forgotten, rather always remembered in our hearts for generations to come.
MAY GOD BLESS HIS SOUL, AS HE EMBARKS ON HIS NEXT CHAPTER.
With Our Heartfelt Sympathies,
HIS LOVING BROTHERS AND THEIR FAMILIES
S
Sam Rajendran uploaded photo(s)
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
/public-file/282/Ultra/Image_jpg.jpg
/public-file/283/Ultra/Image_jpg.jpg
/public-file/284/Ultra/Image_jpg.jpg
/public-file/285/Ultra/Image_jpg.jpg
+ 6
As the second born I grew up very close to my Anna, Periathamby, the eldest in the family of nine boys. From Grade 9 onwards we were also in the same class at St. John’s College, Jaffna due to some administrative issue when he joined the school one year later. We were in the same hostel as well. As a result, we were more like friends and participated together in the usual high school boys’ escapades. But as the older brother, he didn’t hesitate to draw the line if things got out of hand.
From early on he was unassuming and self-effacing. Yet he wouldn’t hesitate to stand up against any unfairness that he encountered at school or at play.
While in the hostel we used to spend some weekends at our uncle Mr. Arumainayagam’s house at Tellippalai. Once our uncle, who was a schoolmaster, asked us to write an essay to assess our English writing skills. We were in the GCE Ordinary Level (Gr 10) at the time. I still remember, the topic was “Playing the Game.” After our uncle read our essays I was disappointed to see he was more impressed with Anna’s essay than mine. The problem was I had not properly understood the topic. Instead of grasping the idiomatic meaning of the expression “playing the game,” I had understood it literally and had gone on to write about sports per se, about the value of sports for a healthy life and so on. But Anna, despite his fanatical interest in cricket and other sports at the time, had correctly understood the expression and had written about the importance of abiding by the rules and conventions and behaving in a fair and honourable way in life. Needless to say, our uncle was really impressed with his writing skills for his age.
His love of cricket is well known among his family and friends, He would draw hours of pleasure watching and discussing cricket matches. Exposed to the game at a very early age when our family moved to Peradeniya, he learned the nuances of batting and bowling very quickly as he was a natural. He was soon making elegant strokes in batting and delivering accurate medium-fast balls. Being an all-rounder, his hero was the West Indian great, Gary Sobers.
On our days off from school we two used to play cricket all day on our front lawn with a tennis ball and a piece of Sunlight box for the wicket. Just the two of us, and he would be giving a running commentary. One of my proudest moments was when he announced as soon as I hit his delivery (I still remember the words), “that is the best drive so far this morning from Neil Harvey’s bat to Sobers’s bowling.”
Music was another long-running interest in his life, particularly western pop and rock music that he first came into contact with in early teens. Starting with the pioneers of Rock & Roll, he was soon captivated by the music of Cliff Richard and Elvis Presley. The advent of the Beatles expanded his musical sensibility even further. After coming to Canada, the Blue Rodeo became his favourite band, and he once told me if one of their songs came on the radio while he was driving, he would stop his car by the roadside to fully enjoy the song. Just as he appreciated the finer points of cricket and music, he was also a connoisseur of good food and fine cuisine. He was exacting in the way the ingredients were obtained, processed and cooked to ensure the satisfaction of his palate.
He was socially conscious and attentive to pressing social issues, and was sensitive to the concerns of the people he came into contact in his life. At the same time he had a disdain for politics in general irrespective of the parties, ideologies, or programs. Because he could see through the corruption, cynicism and the deals and games across the board, across the entire political spectrum regardless of the rhetoric. Divisive politics based on one’s racial, religious or national affiliations was particularly abhorrent to him. He saw that as a violation of the humanity that is common to all of us.
Instead he believed in a practical, down-to-earth, humane approach to dealing with social and political issues. He was cosmopolitan and progressive in his outlook and believed in inclusiveness and equality. He had an open mind about life and was not prejudiced against any individual or social group based on colour, class or gender or anything else. Instead of judging people based on their external - physical or social - attributes, he saw the human being inside all and was able to connect intrinsically and instantly with them. The ready sense of humour that he displayed with anyone he came across - whether mighty or humble - was a testament to this.
Anna valued the humanity that he saw in all the people. He believed in fairness, and in the principle of “live and let live.”
To sum up: Anna played the game. He played the game of life like a true sportsman.
D
Daniel Jeyasundrakumar posted a condolence
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
David was a very humble and jovial person; he visited us a few times and made a great impact on us.
My Dad and Mom, Chandran and Malini are very grateful as his late wife Thanji Maami and Maama were the ones who organised their wedding.
Gone too soon, may his soul rest in peace until we all meet on that beautiful shore.
Condolences from Chandran, Malini, Menaka, and Danny
Y
Your Tangerine Family purchased flowers
Wednesday, November 16, 2022
//d1uep5tseb3xou.cloudfront.net/content/images/thumbs/0009462_hope-and-healing.jpeg
Your Tangerine Family
purchased the Hope And Healing for the family of David Selvendran.
Send Flowers
Please accept our most heartfelt sympathies for your loss... Our thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time.
Please wait
J
Jessica Jebaraj uploaded photo(s)
Wednesday, November 16, 2022
/public-file/271/Ultra/Image_png.png
You will be very sadly missed by us all.
Revelation 14:13
Then I heard a voice from heaven say, " ✍️ Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes,"says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."
From: Ravi family, ( Raji, Jessie, Jebi, Rachel , Aaron, Leslie & Priya.
R
Rajan Arulrajan uploaded photo(s)
Wednesday, November 16, 2022
/public-file/264/Ultra/Image_jpg.jpg
"A true brother is never gone; his spirit lives on in the memories of those who loved him". I fondly call him Selves - a big brother; I'm younger to him by few years. We had between us several cherished happy memories, growing together in the 1960s in Jaffna. He was at St Johns College in boarding and spent many weekends at our parental home "Daisy Cottage" in Tellippalai. We played softball cricket together. Cricket was his lifetime interest and passion. We made several visits to Keerimalai - a natural spring to enjoy a dip or swim.
We tasted fresh palmyra toddy when late Albert Uncle (Selves mother's brother) came during his Christmas holidays to Daisy Cottage. I was so curious to watch my big brother taking few puffs secretly when Albert uncle was smoking a cigarette.
I remember the cycle rides sitting on the cross bar and Selves rode me around Union College Tellippalai. He timed the trips to coincide with school closing time, to see many girls! He also enjoyed the company of church carol singers visiting homes during the festive season.
When I spent my school holidays in Kandy I thoroughly enjoyed the time with Selves. We watched films at the cinema in Kandy town and on one occasion we decided to return by train from Kandy to Peradeniya (Rajawatte). It was a thrilling venture for big brother to take me in the one and only clearly written first-class compartment whereas we bought a standard class ticket. We got caught and were handed over to the station master at Rajawatte who interrogated us. Big brother could speak fluent Sinhalese gave "pathetic " excuses, convinced the station master and we were released without paying any penalty. We went home laughing all the way.
We lost contact with each other after 1980s. It was a great delight to meet him unplanned after four decades in Colombo in year 2019. We spent hours catching up on the many family events that had happened over the years. He could remember all the funny incidents, schoolboy pranks on friends, teachers and boarding master. Selves liked eating Jaffna style cooked meals and his very special request to my sister Baby (Karuna) was to make him Jaffna odiyal kool (a hot spicy seafood soup). We all enjoyed kool reminiscing the good old days. Few days later we met up again at my brother's flat for a Jaffna style lunch and we departed.
The last encounter was four days prior to his untimely demise; he called me on whatsapp. It was a long conversation. We exchanged the sad news of my brother in law's passing away that week affected both of us badly. He then switched on to talk about cricket t20 world cup 2022. He expressed his long-term desire to watch a test cricket match with me in England as he knew my house is a mile away from one of the test grounds. He has in depth knowledge of world cricket and was predicting which country would become the t20 champions this year. Sadly, he is gone before the final match is played.
His untimely demise is a great loss, not only to his family, but also to those of us have moved closely with him. We will miss him very dearly. Life is eternal and love is immortal and death is only a horizon. Selves you were such a special person to so many and your legacy will live on in the beautiful memories you leave for all of us. We will continue to love and always remember you. Goodbye my dear brother, may you rest in peace and we shall meet some day.
Rajan
(Cousin)
Y
Your Loving Brothers and their Families purchased flowers
Sunday, November 13, 2022
//d1uep5tseb3xou.cloudfront.net/content/images/thumbs/0009867.jpeg
Your Loving Brothers and their Families
purchased the Heart Of Peace for the family of David Selvendran.
Send Flowers
Our Loving Big Brother will remain in our hearts forever, With Love and Hugs!
Please wait
Y
Your Loving Brothers and their Families purchased flowers
Sunday, November 13, 2022
//d1uep5tseb3xou.cloudfront.net/content/images/thumbs/0009867.jpeg
Your Loving Brothers and their Families
purchased the Heart Of Peace for the family of David Selvendran.
Send Flowers
Beautiful memories silently kept of ONE that we loved and will never forget, With Love and Hugs!
Please wait
R
Rajaratnam Jeyasundrakumar (Chandran) & Family purchased flowers
Sunday, November 13, 2022
//d1uep5tseb3xou.cloudfront.net/content/images/thumbs/0008518_monets-garden-basket.jpeg
Rajaratnam Jeyasundrakumar (Chandran) & Family
purchased the Monet's Garden Basket for the family of David Selvendran.
Send Flowers
We pray the love of God enfolds you during your journey through grief.
Please wait
T
Tulin Nirmalan uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, November 12, 2022
/public-file/261/Ultra/a3b9c060-9810-473d-99cc-c8f33d634dd8.jpeg
/public-file/262/Ultra/b4d4813a-885d-42ec-ad4f-279fb7ce37a0.jpeg
/public-file/263/Ultra/58f782c8-e264-4e1e-91de-8d7d6f91bcb1.jpeg
What a beautiful soul, Our Big Brother!
Periyathamby, Loku Aiya, Periyawar, and finally Perry, that’s how we as brothers fondly addressed you.
Although you are peacefully gone now from the worldly cares, your memory will always remain in our hearts as a guiding light.
I still remember the last phone call that we had just a few hours prior to the unfortunate fall that knocked you down, you were full of life and cheerful, when we discussed about the ongoing ICC T20WC Tournament and you were eagerly looking forward to watching each of the games with great enthusiasm. You will now be able to watch those games from up there.
Until we meet again, Rest in Peace OUR BIG BROTHER!
II Corinthians 1:3
‘Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God’.
M
Maduka Nirmalan uploaded photo(s)
Friday, November 11, 2022
/public-file/265/Ultra/Image_jpeg.jpeg
/public-file/266/Ultra/Image_jpeg.jpeg
/public-file/267/Ultra/Image_jpeg.jpeg
/public-file/268/Ultra/Image_jpeg.jpeg
Rest in Peace Loku Aiya, it’s nice to have known you for 27 years.
I felt like you were my DAD, and I really enjoyed the calls from you asking me how to cook different Sri Lankan dishes like Polos curry, fish curry etc. I am going to miss those calls and chats.
I hope you are in a better place now with Thanji akka. You may be gone from our sight, but YOU are never gone from our hearts.
Until we meet again,
May Your Soul Rest in Peace in the arms of JESUS!
A
Arunthathy uploaded photo(s)
Friday, November 11, 2022
/public-file/269/Ultra/Image_jpg.jpg
/public-file/270/Ultra/Image_jpg.jpg
To: Our greatly loved Athan/ Selva
From: Itha & Mahen.
Death leaves a heartache
No one can heal
Love leaves a memory
No one can steal
Your life was a blessing
Your memory a treasure
You are loved beyond words
And missed beyond measure.
You were the best son in law for parents
& the best brother in law for us.
We loved you in life & will cherish your memory in death too. Rest in peace in our loving God's arms.
Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live. - John 11:25.
I have called thee by the name, though art mine. Isaiah 43: I.
R
Rathanaswami posted a condolence
Wednesday, November 9, 2022
Extremely sorry to hear the demise of Selvendran. Heartfelt condolences to Nirubama, Ayola, Malini and extended family.
Had the great opportunity of knowing Thikalmathi and Selvendran family for the past 30 years and their service to the community.
May his soul rest in peace.
Rathanaswami and family.
D
The family of David Selvanayagam Selvendran uploaded a photo
Thursday, November 3, 2022
/tribute-images/2824/Ultra/David-Selvendran.jpg
Please wait
Contact
Ph: (604) 463-8161
Fx: 604-463-2929
E-Mail: info@gardenhill.ca
Our Location
11765-224th St
Maple Ridge, BC
V2X 6A5
Have A Question?
We're always here for you. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have.
Click here to ask your question.