Ponniah Subramaniam

Ponniah Subramaniam passed away on January 5, 2009. He is survived by his wife, Pathmasani, children Shankar and Sutha, children-in-law Bahir and Gopitha and grandchildren Serena, Ria, Byran, Akarsh and Aran.

Friends and family will be received at the Jerrett Funeral Home, 660 Kennedy Road, Scarborough on Friday, January 9, 2009 from 5-9 pm.

Funeral Service will take place at the Jerrett Funeral Home on Saturday, January 10, 2009 starting at 9 am. Witnessing of Cremation to follow at St. John's Norway Crematorium.

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The following speech was read by Bahir and Gopitha on behalf of Shankar and Sutha at the funeral service:

We would like to say a few things about our appa.

As many of you are aware, appa was hospitalized for about 6 months with cancer before succumbing to it. He was strong in his determination to enjoy life with his family even though he was suffering from pain. We would like to thank all of you who have visited and called him and provided words of comfort to appa and support for amma in these last few months. We should not dwell on the last few months of misery in his life but instead look at the many years of wonderful memories and happiness we have all had with him.

Appa was born on December 22, 1940. As the youngest child by far in his family he was fondly cared for by his 3 sisters and a brother, who often raised him as their own child. He was fond of his chinna acca, who was very close to him. As a little boy he had a pony tail and had pierced ears. By current fashion trend, he would have been considered a cool kid. Appa was actually quite a handsome young man as you would have seen in the pictures.

He left home when he was young to attend Vasavalan primary school on a boarding scholarship. He would recollect stories of his father bringing him pakoda and kadalay on the weekends, which he would secretly consume during class time. He then went on to excel at Skanda in his High School years.

His inquisitive thinking always yearned in him to study engineering. He entered the University of Colombo for Civil Engineering. Upon graduating he went on to work for the Water Supply Board. His hard work earned him a scholarship to study for a master's degree at the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in England. In the meanwhile he got engaged to amma. He mentioned to us that he instantly fell in love with amma right after their engagement. He promised her that he would return after his studies in England to marry her. In keeping with his promise and his love for amma, he returned to marry her in 1972.

He was blessed with a son, Shankar, and a daughter, Sutha. He was grateful for having had the opportunity to experience the joys of having a son and a daughter. He was quite fond of Sutha and looked to her as a friend.

After the 1977 riots, he was determined to find a safer place for his family. He moved his family to Nigeria to work for the Ondo Water Supply Corporation. He was the Senior Engineer involved in building a major dam for which the President of Nigeria visited to inaugurate. He helped many other Srilankan workmates get jobs in Nigeria; some of whom were never aware that he had had a hand in getting them appointed.

In 1985, he took up a job with the World Bank in Zambia to build water supply system for many villages that until then did not have safe water. He was very dedicated to his job, to the point that we would make fun that they would build a life-size statue of him for his hard work when he retires.

Upon realizing that he needed to provide a better education for his children, he moved his family to Canada in 1990. He made a lot of sacrifices to ensure that his children had a good education. He switched careers to the pharmaceutical field and worked for Apotex till retiring.

He was very happy to invite Bahir and Gopitha into the family as his extended children. He considered them to be his own children and consulted with them on important decisions. Bahir and Gopitha also loved appa like their own father. This is much the same way he treated his own brother-in-laws and sister-in-laws, who he considered his own brothers and sisters. He was very sad at the passing away of his mother-in-law, as he lost his own parents quite a long time ago, and looked to his parents-in-law as his parents.

He was blessed to have 5 grandchildren: Serena, Ria, Byran, Akarsh and Aran. He was determined to live to see his last grandchild, Byran who was born only 4 weeks before he passed away. One of his two regrets was that he did not get to spend time with his grandchildren growing up. He was blessed to have had made enough of a loving impression on his eldest grandchild, Serena, such that she would relate to the others of their loving grandfather.

His second regret was that he could not be a supportive husband to amma for the rest of her life. He instilled a lot of confidence and courage in amma to deal with him not being around. We would like to ask that you all be a supporting hand for amma.

However, Appa had a full life and it far outweighs the regrets he had. He was married to a wonderful woman in amma, who was supporting and caring through appa's illness. She was with him every day at the hospital. He had a great career that improved the lives of people in Nigeria and Zambia by bringing running water. Through hardship, he saw his children educated. He inherited children-in-laws who treated him like a father. He got to see 5 grandchildren. He had the support and love of many family and friends. He was truly blessed.

In closing, we would like to say appa may have passed on but his spirit still lives on in the memories that we have all shared with him. His intoxicating smile was a reminder that there can be perseverance even in sorrow. He once said happiness and sorrow make life complete. His wish would be that we not be sad and cry, but that we have to persevere on with the wonderful memories of him. Those memories of him will last you a lifetime.

You are better to have known him and he is better to have been loved by you. Appa is forever in our hearts.

Shankar, Sutha, Bahir, Gopitha