Obituary, Heather Nicholas Knower.

 

 

 

 

 

Sad news

Inbox

Hello Batchmates,
I have just been informed that Heather passed away last night after her life support was withdrawn. The funeral will be after 14th August when her overseas children who have arrived in Perth come out of quarantine.
Buddy

________________________________________
From: daya & nalini rodrigo <dayanalini2@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, 3 August 2021 2:10 PM
To: kamalini arul; Buddy Reid; Sujiva Ratnaike
Subject: Re: Sad news

Yes, she never blamed him though she knew all his faults. Blamed it on alcohol. Its her friends who were furious with him - not her!
When he was in terminal hepatic coma and the doctors had given up she rushed around trying to get compatible blood and kept pumping it into him. She's truly an example of unconditional love - generous to a fault!
So happy she had it returned to her from her devoted children. They must be devastated. I havent been able to contact any.
nalini

On Sun, 1 Aug 2021 at 19:00, kamalini arul <kamaliniarul@yahoo.co.uk<mailto:kamaliniarul@yahoo.co.uk>> wrote:
Nalini,
I just read your email to Buddy, I knew she had a number of children but it was just5.
After med school I met her in Australia after she lost one of her sons in SL.
She told me about all the things she had to do to bring up her children and how well they are all doing.
It was an incredible story a mother’s love and commitment to her children. I had heard about her husband’s indifference. But Heather did not have one bad word for him.
Very sad. Her children must be devastated.
Hope Daya and you are well. How is the COVID situation in SL.
Love
Kamalini

Sent from my iPad

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[Message clipped]  View entire message

Thank you Buddy.

I am talking to a very close friend of mine who was Heather's classmate and reminiscing about times past. She was full of compliments for Heather who had faced many problems and difficulties with great courage and resilience.

I am saddened at her passing, but happy that she did not continue to suffer.

May she rest in Eternal Peace.

Travis.

Buddy Reid	2:06 PM (5 hours ago)
to daya, kamalini, Sujiva, Leeda, Christie, Carlyle, Travis, Soma, Arumugam, Osmond, Lakshman, Lucien, Rudra, Ramani, Daya, Fred, 1960batch@gmail.com, me
Hiranthi Perera	5:00 PM (2 hours ago)
to Buddy, daya, kamalini, Sujiva, Leeda, Christie, Carlyle, Travis, Soma, Arumugam, Osmond, Lakshman, Lucien, Rudra, Ramani, Daya, Fred, 1960batch@gmail.com, me
Re Heather Knower Inbox Geri Jayasekara 11:03 AM (8 hours ago)   Dear Philip, It’s with much sadness that I have to inform the Batch that Heather Nicholas (née Knower) who was domiciled in Perth had expired on Monday after being in intensive care following a road accident on the morning of 26th July when she had been knocked down by a car while attempting to cross the road. Geri.   Buddy Reid Tue, Aug 3, 2:06 PM (1 day ago) Hello Batchmates, I have just been informed that Heather passed away last night after her life support was withdrawn. The funeral will be after 14th August when Hiranthi Perera Tue, Aug 3, 5:00 PM (1 day ago)     to Buddy, daya, kamalini, Sujiva, Leeda, Christie, Carlyle, Travis, Soma, Arumugam, Osmond, Lakshman, Lucien, Rudra, Ramani, Daya, Fred, 1960batch@gmail.com, me Thank you Buddy. I am talking to a very close friend of mine who was Heather's classmate and reminiscing about times past. She was full of compliments for Heather who had faced many problems and difficulties with great courage and resilience. I am saddened at her passing, but happy that she did not continue to suffer. May she rest in Eternal Peace. Travis.

email from Heather Knower

Dear Phillip and Ramya
Thank you for your e-mail and the lovely Christmas wishes.It was wonderful
to hear from you. I did not think you would remember me ,after so long!
Where are you now, and what do you do? I have retired  out here after 35 yrs
of Anaesthesia in Sri Lanka and I am enjoying a well earned rest!I live with
my eldest son ,his wife and 2 kids in Perth and I am really enjoying being a
grandmother! Nala would have told you I have 14 grand children and a 15th in
the way. how about you? what have you achieved  ?Do mail back and keep in
touch . I sometimes meet Meththa Muniratne, Buddy Reid ,Carlyle and Travis
Perera and Daya Jayasinghe in Melbourne when I visit my daughter there Daya
actually practices a few doors next to my daughter's house. I am also i n
touch with Imalda De Sayrah in Sydney It would be lovely to catch up with
more batchmates.
  A very happy Christmas and a wonderdul New Year to you both!

Heather

Hello Heather,

Thanks for your reply. How can we ever forget you. I remember Dr.Janz telling in a lecture one day, "Heather Knower, you are like a tower". We were all pygmies in the batch.

I did my FRCS and did my stint as Consultant Surgeon in Batticaloa, Rathnapura, Kandy and finally Colombo. When I retired in the year 2000 June I was Senior Surgeon in the NHSL (former GH Colombo). I was in charge of our honoured teacher Dr.Batholomews's Surgical unit.

I have two daughters, both doctors married to doctors. Elder one Queenie has done an MD in Anaesthgesia and Intensive care and is on two years study leave in UK. Her Husband Dr.Alagiyawanne is an MSc. Community Medicine, has finished Part I MD in Community Medicine and is on 2 years leave in UK with Queenie and their 3 and a half year old son, our only grand-son. My second daughter Shuiranie is doing a Diploma in Transfusion medicine at the moment in SL. She is married to Dr.Wickremasinghe who is SHO Medicine at NHSL. They have no children yet.

After retirement I did an MA in Buddhist studies at the Kelaniya University. At the moment I am learning French. Ramya and me had a 4 month holiday in the UK with my daughter and returned to our Paradise Isle 4 weeks ago. I have my own practice in Avissawella, my wife's home town   and do medicine as a hobby.

I will keep you posted.

I am glad to hear that you are enjoying life with your grand-children.

Philip

Old email from Heather Knower

Hi Phillip
Thanks for the e-mails  They made very entertaining reading , besides
bringing back nostalgic memories. Here's one for you.!
  I don't know how good your knowledge of Sinhalese is . I hope it is
sufficient for you to appreciate the humor in this anecdote.

It was the 1st lecture in reproduction by Dr. David Jansz (My Brother -in
law). He took great pleasure in trying to embarrass me , because of the
relationship!

We entered the lecture hall to find an epidiascope ,covered with a cloth ,in
the middle of the lecture  theater. When we were all seated, Dr. Jansz made
his entrance and surveyed the crowd over the rims of his glasses. Then he
said pleasantly "Ladies and gentlemen, as an introduction to my first
lecture  on reproduction, I am going to show you some bioscope!" He looked
at me , and shouted "Nicholas!! Mehe wareng!(Come here)---now I must explain
that My married name is Nicholas ,and his lab boy was also called
Nicholas.------
  The boy came running in.  Still looking at me ,he yelled 

" Redda Ussapang!" (raise thy cloth)
Nicholas blushed and stared at him.  The audience was screaming with
laughter.
Without a smile on his face he looked Nicholas up nand down and repeated his
request. When nothing happened he said severely to Nicholas " Umbe Redde
Nevai bung Ara redde"  (Not your cloth man that cloth) and pointed to the
cloth over the epidiascope. Then he said "You people have a one track mind"
and started his lecture.
        Enjoy your new year! Bye for now. 

Heather