A CENTURY OF GRACE REMEMBERED

A TRIBUTE TO SUSILA SAMARANAYAKE'S ENDURING LEGACY OF COMPASSION, SERVICE, AND DEVOTION ON HER 100TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY

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June 10, 2025 marks the 100th birth anniversary of our beloved mother Mrs Susila Gunadari Samaranayake. Our devoted Ammi, was born on 10th of June 1925 and passed away on 11th of March 1997 after a brief illness at the age of 72.

Her death created a tremendous void in our lives especially because both our beloved parents passed away within the short span of one year. She was the daughter of Mrs Beatrice Suraweera & Mr W. H. W. Perera, Proctor and Founder Member of the Ceylon Temperance Association, founded in 1912. She was the youngest amongst five siblings, preceded by Keerthi, Somie, Dully and Nanda.

Ammi was indeed the embodiment of love, kindness, simplicity and generosity. She was a true practicing Buddhist whose prime aim was service to the less fortunate and to this service she devoted over forty-five years of her life.

Her sphere of involvement spanned a multitude of organizations and activities.

As a young mother she responded to a notice in the Daily News and enlisted herself as a volunteer at the Ceylon Red Cross Society. The activities of the society as that time included visiting homes of the needy, providing tea to patients seeking treatment at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital and the Orthopaedic Clinic and providing a library service for patients at the Colombo General Hospital.

In all of these activities Ammi was a willing worker. My sister Manthri and I had our introduction to social service then as we would spend Saturday morning with her doing work for the Red Cross Society.

Around this time, the Lanka Mahila Samithi attracted Ammi’s attention. Under the guidance of eminent ladies like Mrs F. B. de Mel and Mrs Violet Rajapakse, she often travelled to rural areas and taught women the basic of hygiene, cooking and house-keeping. Once again, we joined Ammi at weekends.