“I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23: 6)

Dr. Sinnadurai Jeyaratnam Wilson (Jeya) :  Formerly of Sri Lanka and Singapore and later in Sydney Australia, entered peacefully into his Father’s House on Sunday, 23 January 2022.

Dearly beloved husband of Silojini (Nee Thambithurai – formally of Station Road, Chavakachcheri), loving father of Tharshini Joseph (Germany) and Prakash (Sydney), father-in-law of Gerry Joseph and Diana, doting grandfather of Serena, Isabel, Nicholas, Lianna, Dravid and Daya.

Cherished second son of late John Alfred Sinnadurai & Lizzie (Araly, Sri Lanka), loving son-in-law of late Joseph Thambithurai & Gnanasoundary (Chavakachcheri), much loved brother of Stanley Sinnadurai (Perth), Flora Vijiaraj (Sydney), Victor Sinnadurai (Sydney), Watson Sinnadurai (Melbourne), Walter Sinnadurai (Sydney) and Robert Sinnadurai (Adelaide) and much-loved cousin and uncle of many.

SJ Wilson was born in Bentong, Malaysia and studied at Jaffna College, Sri Lanka. A distinguished old boy of Jaffna College went on to complete his Maths undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. He was a tenured Professor at the National University of Singapore for more than four decades and has inspired many students. He will be fondly remembered by his cherished friends and students across the globe.

Please uphold Wilson family in your prayers.

Thanksgiving Service:

To celebrate the life of Dr. SJ Wilson, a Thanksgiving Service will be held in Magnolia Chapel, Macquarie Park Crematorium, Sydney, Australia, on Saturday, 5 February 2022 at 10:50am (Sydney time) with viewing at 10:15am.

Live stream:

Please follow the link TJ Andrews Funeral services for details of the funeral, livestream and digital memorial book.

Family Request:

In lieu of floral tributes, please consider a donation to Australian Heart Foundation via : https://inmemory.heartfoundation.org.au/fundraisers/tharshiniwilson/in-memory-of-dr-sinnadurai-jeyaratnam-wilson

Contact:

Mrs Silojini Wilson (Sydney – 02 8819 2920)

Mr Stanley Sinnadurai ( Perth – 08 9255 3364)

Mrs Flora Vijiaraj (Sydney-  02 9863 1645)

Mr Victor Sinnadurai (Sydney – 02 9858 2916)

Mr Watson Sinnadurai (Melbourne – 03 97952698)

Mr Walter Sinnadurai (Sydney- 02 9688 3902)

Mr Robert Sinnadurai (Adelaide- 08 8332 2849)

சோதி தோன்றும் ஓர் தேசமுண்டு

விசுவாசக் கண்ணால் காண்கிறோம்

நம் பிதா அழைக்கும் பொழுது

நாம் அங்கே வசிக்கச் செல்லுவோம்
 (தமிழாக்கம் – D.P. Niles)

Below is an excerpt of the tribute written by Stanley Sinnadurai (Wilson’s oldest brother) and read by Victor Sinnadurai.

Good morning/afternoon family and friends,

I’m Stanley Sinnadurai from Perth the eldest child of the late Mr and Mrs John Alfred Sinnadurai. Sadly, due to Covid-19 restrictions, my family and I cannot pay our last respects personally to my second brother Wilson and Uncle Wilson. I would like to thank my sister-in-law, Baba, for giving me the honour to share a few words about my brother. I would also like to thank my brother, Victor, for reading this tribute.

The first chapter of Wilson’s, life began on the 5th of August 1938 in Bentong Malaysia. After the second world war, the Malay government introduced mandatory military service for males over the age of 15. Due to compulsory rule, my mother decided to move us to Sri Lanka then Ceylon, leaving my father in Malaysia., We moved with our grandparents in Jaffna on the 8th of March 1949, and later our family moved to Vaddukoddai (Sri Lanka).

Wilson began his early education at Jaffna College, where he excelled in all areas of his education, but particularly talented in mathematics. Wilson surrounded himself with equally gifted friends in mathematics at college. If he had problem in maths and his friends were also unable to resolve, he would seek assistance from people who were deemed mentally unstable but had brilliant maths brains in his town. Once, he decided that it was best to buy a cup of tea for them so they could assist him and his friends to resolve their maths problem.

Wilson was a sleepwalker when he was quite young. Our mother kept the front door key in a jar of cold water to prevent Wilson opening the door, hoping the cold water would wake him up. Once our mother sought assistance from a native “doctor” for Wilson’s sleepwalks. The “doctor” who had a very long white beard, came to check Wilson’s sleepwalking one night. Soon he did confirm the issue, because Wilson in his sleep, has started to play with “doctor’s” long beard.

Wilson also excelled in basketball, however, his coach discouraged Wilson from taking up basketball, not because of his height, but because Wilson was all skin and bone with no muscles. The coach was concerned that Wilson may incur injuries during play, and he would be liable. However, our mum continued to encourage Wilson to play basketball. As a result, Wilson continued his passion for basketball throughout his university days and won many awards. But from all accounts, Wilson never sustained any injuries.

Wilson continued his gift for mathematics by undertaking a maths degree at the University of Colombo. Wilson finished his degrees with the highest possible honours. However, due to the political situation in Sri Lanka, he had to seek employment in another country.

Thus began his second chapter in Singapore, where he married an elegant, beautiful and extremely dedicated young lady by the name of Miss Sulogini Thambithurai on the 12 of July 1967. Both Wilson and Sulogini were blessed with two children, a beautiful daughter named Tharshini, and a handsome young son named Prakash.

While he was in Singapore, Wilson and his family were extremely supportive, both financially and emotionally to both sides of the family, and he was instrumental in matching me and my wife together.  So, Wilson was not only a talented basketball player, but also a match-making maths Professor!  Wilson had the world at his feet, but his feet were always firmly planted on the ground as a simple man with a very simple life.

On his final chapter, Wilson moved to Sydney, Australia to enjoy his retirement and to be closer to his siblings. Even though I was on the other side of the country, Wilson and I kept in regular touch, and we enjoyed our phone conversations. Wilson’s health declined over the past few years, but his sense of humour and love for life was always in full display, as he continued his mantra of “simple man” “simple life”. I would like to thank Baba for the enormous physical and mental sacrifices she has made over the years to take care of my brother. Only her support and encouragement has given my brother a quality of life, to enjoy to the fullest till the very last moment.

In closing, if I had to summarise Wilson’s life and legacy, he was a genius in every sense of the word. He was very caring, fun-loving brother, devoted husband, loving father, father-in-law and doting grandfather. He was a dear uncle to all his nieces and nephews and a great friend to many people all around the globe.

Wilson, may you rest in peace my brother, we shall meet again in paradise until we meet again goodbye my loving brother! You will be missed dearly by your family and friends. Rest in Peace.

Baba, Tharshini and Prakash our deepest condolences and our thoughts and prayers are with you at this very difficult and dark time.

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துயர் பகிர்வு

உங்கள் துயர் பகிர்வுகளையும், அனுதாபச் செய்திகளையும் ஒரே இடத்தில் குடும்பத்தார் பார்வையிடுவதற்காக இவ் தளத்தின் பின்னோட்டத்தில் பதிவிடலாம். எக்காரணம் கொண்டும் உங்கள் மின்னஞ்சல் தகவல் இவ் தளத்தில் பதியப்படவோ பகிரப்படவோ மாட்டாது என பணிவுடன் தெரிவித்துக் கொள்கிறோம்.

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