“A year has passed on,
Your picture in a frame
Your memory is our keepsake
God has you in his keeping
Along with your son Patrick
Gone from our sights
Forever in our hearts”
Loving wife Thayalam, daughter Sarah, Siblings, Nieces, and Nephews
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” – 2 Timothy 4 : 7 –
It has been 25 years since you have left us,
Time flies faster and life goes on at its own pace
But some memories can never be forgotten
or erased from the mind of the dearest ones.
We still hear your words of wisdom
and the virtues of life you have instilled in us,
In your life you have touched so many,
A great soul never dies
It brings us together again and again
“Aiyah you will always remain in our thoughts”
Sabaratnam Family
(Colombo – London – Germany – Perth)
“The gift of God is eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord” Romans 6:23
Rev. Richard Joseph Jeganathan (Jega) formerly of Chundikuli, Jaffna, Sri Lanka and later in Melbourne, Australia went to be with Jesus on 04 November 2021.
Beloved husband of Shantha (Nee Subramaniam), loving father of Ashok and Bindu, affectionate grand father of Joshua and Edward, loving brother of late Samuel Inbanathan, late Manohari Anandarajah, Padmini Jayaseelan (Adelaide) and Edwin Vimalanathan (U.K.), brother-in-law of Rev S.N. Sugunanathan (Adelaide), Rev Dr S. Jebanesan (former CSI Bishop of Jaffna), late Dr S.Jeyaseelan (Adelaide), Rev S, Manobavan (Brisbane) and S. Sugumar (Canberra).
Jega was an old boy of St John’s College, Jaffna and represented the 1st Eleven Cricket Team during 1962 and 63. He qualified in Mechanical engineering in The U.K before returning to Sri Lanka, where he worked at the Paddy Marketing Board as a Mechanical Engineer. Jega migrated to Australia in 1982 and worked as a Design Engineer for the Melbourne Water. Later he did his Theology at The Presbyterian Theological College in Melbourne and served as a Pastor at The Footscray Presbyterian Church.
Thanksgiving Service:
To celebrate the life of Rev. R. J. Jeganathan, a Thanksgiving Service was held on Monday 8th Nov at The Presbyterian Church, Hawthorn Victoria, the church where Jeganathan and his family worshipped since their migration in 1982.
Rev. Richard Joseph Jeganathan will be missed and fondly remembered by his relatives, members of his Church and friends across the globe.
சோதி தோன்றும் ஓர் தேசமுண்டு
விசுவாசக் கண்ணால் காண்கிறோம்
நம் பிதா அழைக்கும் பொழுது
நாம் அங்கே வசிக்கச் செல்லுவோம்
(தமிழாக்கம் – D.P. Niles)
Please accept this obituary notice and request the relatives and friends to uphold the family in prayers and pray for their fathers’s soul to be in eternal repose with Jesus.
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Tributes from Jega’s mates
I first came to know Jega in 1958, when we were classmates at St Johns college Jaffna in the 4th Form ( Year 9). He told me that he was interested in cricket , I was glad to hear that because we had something in common. We started playing soft ball cricket with various clubs in Jaffna. I vividly remember attending his father’s funeral in 1960.
Jaga lived down Swarts lane at Chundikuli, which was very close to my residence. Jega played for the college 2nd Eleven in 1960 and later represented the 1st Eleven in 1962 and 1963. He was a good left hand batsman with a sound defense.
In the mid 80’s both of us left Sri Lanka due to the unsettled conditions in the island. Jega chose to go to Melbourne while I have settled in Sydney. Whenever I go to Melbourne, I would contact Jega who was living in the suburb of Burwood.
Some years later he told me that, he was following a course in Theology in the hope of working as a priest in a church in Melbourne. Having worked for more than 10 years as a priest Jega retired in 2017. Sadly, Jega passed away after a brief illness in a Nursing Home in Melbourne on Thursday November 4th.
He will be ever remembered.
May his soul rest in peace.
Rabi Setukavalar, Sydney, Australia
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“Jega played cricket for St. John’s College in 1962 and 1963. He was a very stylish and elegant left hand opening batsman. He was called Neil Harvey who was a great left hand batsman of Australia during school days. He was consistent in getting runs at every match he played.”
Daniel Mahendran Selvanayagam, Sydney, Australia
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You may share your comforting words and condolences with the family in the comments section below. Comments will be moderated before publication. Under no circumstances FINAL VOYAGE will publish personal emails and contacts.
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.
Our mother, Chandra Navaratnam nee Rajasingham, hailed from a lineage of Priesthood, the Reverend Sam Morse being her Great Grand Father. She was the 2nd daughter of Charles and Ranee Rajasingam, and sister of the late Ranita Thavam and the late Raju Rajasingham. She was an old girl of CMS Ladies College, Colombo, and during the World War II years, studied at Chundikuli Girls College Jaffna, before returning to Ladies’ College to finish her secondary education.
During the 60’s, our family moved from Colombo to Jaffna, as Dad, who was a Station Master in the Railway, was transferred to Jaffna. Five months into his new assignment, Dad died of a severe heart attack. Mother decided to stay on and raise the children in Jaffna. It was the grace of God that provided her the fortitude and the will to courageously continue to raise her children. Through the ensuing years, she was able to juggle her parental responsibilities with her teaching workload at St. Johns College, as well as giving after school lessons of piano, speech and drama.
Mother involved herself in Church activities as well, accepting the offer from the then vicar at St. John’s Church, the Rev. Raju Coomaraswamy to be the regular organist. She was already an accomplished musician attached to the Trinity College of Music Speech and Drama, London, when she started giving piano lessons at home. For some time, our living room was used as one of the examination centres for Jaffna. Her former students will also remember the annual picnics that she organized.
She so admirably handled the dual role of mother and father, a picture of health and a pillar of strength to all of us. From our younger days she instilled in our minds the importance of leading a Christian life. Her favourite quote was ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’. She was also very well versed in child psychology. Never raised her hand on us for any naughty or careless deeds. Instead, she would make it a point to teach us where we went wrong, to make us realize our mistakes.
She used a lot of proverbs and teachings throughout our childhood days, which really helped us siblings go through adolescence. She ensured we were well provided in all necessities. I can still remember how meticulously she organized our meals, always making something different for dinner. April & August school holidays were spent in Colombo with our relatives. December holidays were always spent at home, as all of us siblings took part in Christmas activities. Mother was the organist for the church as well as the school carol services, while we also sang in the choir.
Mother was a real source of knowledge on any topic under the Sun, and so much so that was known as Dr. Navaratnam in the family circle. She was so energetic and active all the time, a pillar of strength, courageous, humble, simple and fun loving too, and more than anything, she led a selfless, sacrificial life throughout. The beauty of her life was that she simply enjoyed all what she did with a cheerful heart.
We will also remember her for her resilience and resourcefulness, and we are ever grateful to God for having blessed us with one of the ‘BEST MOTHERS IN THE WORLD’ or rather, THE BEST.
Children Rajan, Cynthia, Sharma, Chrisso and Ravi
(Sri Lanka – Canada )
Excerpts published in the Ceylon Daily News 13.06. 21
Related Reference: Mrs. Chandra Navaratnam (1932 -2020)
In loving memory of my dear son S.E.Sritharan born on 13.03.1955 and entered glory 23.011.2017.
Another year comes to an end
But, still our hearts find it hard to mend,
We pray that God has given,
The crown you have truly won.
Beloved son Sri,
We offer our heartful of thanks,
for all what you have done with sincere love.
O’Lord grant him eternal rest.
–Amma (Mrs. P.M Sabaratnam)–
Lovingly remembered and sadly missed by your ever loving wife, children, mother, siblings, in-laws, nephews and nieces.
“As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted”
-Isaiah 66:13 –
An excerpt was published on the Ceylon daily news dated 23.11.19.
The loss is great, your memory a treasure,
Your life was full of love and labour,
Your love for your family true and you sacrificed your best in silence.
We will remember and cherish,
Our lips cannot speak of how much our hearts moan for you
Only God knows how we miss you –
As a loving son, brother, husband, father, uncle and in-law .
For all of us the loss is so great, has left a deep void for those who are left behind
The impact is truly their devastating journey of grief.
Your life was a blessing; you are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure.
All in all we breathe relief as Sri is safe in the arms of Jesus
Never is this remembrance more needed than, when heart-aches of life crowd in on us.
___________________________________
Grieving mother and family members
Mrs. P.M. Sabaratnam
56 A, Nelumpura, Ratmalana, Sri Lanka
23 November 2018
Thinking of you on your birthday,
With sadness in our hearts,
For a very special someone,
From whom we had to part.
Of all the many blessings,
However great or small,
To have had you for a husband,
Father, son and brother,
Was the greatest one of all,
The family chain is broken now,
And nothing seems the same
But as God takes us one by one
The chain will link again.
Affectionately remembered by Sritharan and Sabaratnam family
United Kingdom- Sri Lanka- Australia – Germany
13th March 2018
20180313-ESS-FV003
Final Voyage 