Chandrasiri Dehipitiya

Chandrasiri Dehipitiya, age 84, passed away peacefully on Monday, November 30, 2020 at Seton Northwest Hospital in Austin, Texas. He was born October 16, 1936 in Colombo, Sri Lanka to Wilson and Catherine Dehipitya. He married Chitra (Goonatilleke) Dehipitiya on July 30, 1969. He moved to the US with his wife and 3 children in 1975 and lived in Austin for the last 42 years.

Chandrasiri was a cartographer for 20 years with the Texas Department of Transportation and retired in 2000. Chandrasiri had a passion for art from an early age and was incredibly creative and talented. He was accomplished in calligraphy, sculpting and painting and used numerous other mediums over the years. He took tremendous pride in his work, and the majority of his pieces have been displayed at art exhibitions throughout Austin and San Antonio. One of his favorite pieces (‘Gotcha Bird’) is permanently displayed at the Cedar Park Sculpture Garden. Chandrasiri loved travelling and exploring other countries and visiting friends throughout the US.

Chandrasiri was a devoted husband and father (Thathie) to his three children and a doting grandfather (Seeya) to 6 grandchildren, Juliana, Keilani, William Chandrasiri, Elizabeth, Trevyn and Giselle. He loved playing card games and bingo and took pride in attending numerous school events and sports games.

He was a man of strong faith, a devout Buddhist and was very active at the Austin Buddhist Center, Austin Buddhist Vihara and the Houston Buddhist Vihara. Chandrasiri will always be remembered by friends and family for his kind heart and charismatic smile. The countless number of friends that were in his life were considered and treated like family. There are so many wonderful memories, but the most memorable were the large Thanksgiving parties held at the Dehipitiya’s. Friends and family will always look back fondly at all the fun everlasting memories created over the holiday. Chandrasiri will be deeply missed by all those whose lives he touched, and his memory forever will be ingrained in our hearts.

Chandrasiri is survived by his wife of 51 years, Chitra, and his son, Dr. Chandima and his wife Manesha, their daughter Giselle Catherine; his oldest daughter Danusha, and her husband Dr. Thushan DeSilva, and their three children Juliana, Keilani, and Trevyn; and his youngest daughter, Dirusha and her husband Paul, and their two children, William Chandrasiri and Elizabeth; his sister Chandra Dehipitiya, brother Wipulasiri Dehipitiya and numerous nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, Wilson and Catherine Dehipitiya, his brother, Somasiri Dehipitiya and sisters, Ariyawathi Dehipitiya and Nanda Dehipitiya.

The family would like to express their sincere and heartfelt thanks to the nurses and doctors in the ICU at Seton Northwest Hospital.

A viewing will be held on December 11, 2020 between 5-8pm at the Cook-Walden Funeral Home at 6100 North Lamar Blvd.

Chandrasiri was very involved with TSOS Texas Society of Sculptors. If you would like to donate in his honor, please use the link https://www.tsos.org/donate/