Aunt Lily (90) going strong

A BIRTHDAY APPRECIATION -  LILY RACHEL JACOB

God willing, my Aunt Lily, in cricketing parlance, will be 90 not out on the 17th of November. Aunt Lily’s mother, Sinnapattiamma and my maternal Grand Father Stephens were from Badulla.  
Aunt Lily had two siblings. The eldest, Aunt Consy and the youngest, Uncle Harry.  

Aunt Lily, like her mother, belonged to one of the noblest professions. Both of them were teachers in Wattegama.  

Aunt Lily like those before her and the Daniels, which was her family name, was loyal to 
her principals.  

 

 

Since my mother died very early in our lives, Aunt Lily took charge of us, the three Knights.She helped my brother to go to the United Kingdom

She was successful in getting admission to the then Government Training College, at Maharagama, where she excelled both in studies and in sports. She, I am told, used to play Netball .  

After her training, she worked for a few years in Wattegama and then due to personal reasons moved to Colombo.  

In Colombo, she taught for a while at St. Lawrences’, Wellawatte and then moved to S. Thomas’ Mount Lavinia, where she worked in the Primary Section.  

Uncle Sam, Aunty Lily’s partner was also from Badulla. They were blessed with four children; three boys and one girl.  

Since my mother died very early in our lives, Aunt Lily took charge of us, the three Knights.  

She helped my brother to go to the United Kingdom. My sister too become a teacher like her and her mother. She and her mother used to take us to Badulla, for the Easter Vacation. Then in August she took us to Matugama and Mahagama. For Christmas we were in Colombo.  

When I moved from Trinity College, Kandy to the University of Peradeniya, in my first term, I fell in love with my life partner.  

It was Aunt Lily and Uncle Sam who supported the two of us. It was from their home in Colombo, that I went to the Church, for the registration of the marriage.  

After retirement, Aunt Lily used to be very active in the Parish Church.  

When she had to finally settle down she decided to enter an Elders’ Home, in Moratuwa.  

Aunt Lily thank you very much for everything. May the Good Lord help you to move from age 90 to 100. Our love.  

Sydney Knight