Mr. Christy Gunapalan Aruliah

Died: April 6th, 2019

Christy was born in Manipay Hospital to Vethacutty Charles Aruliah (father) and Clara Arunothaiam (Sinnathangam) Aruliah (mother) and grew up in Kopay, Sri Lanka. He was the third son and one of 9 children. His father had been married and had 4 children (Ranee, Reggie, Mani and Percy) before marrying his second wife Clara, Christy’s mother, Christy was the first of her five children (Christy, Nesomani, Malar, Pavali and Ariapalan). During his time in Kopay he attended Kopay Christian college where he was a good student. After school he wanted to join the airforce and become a pilot. Sadly, that did not happen, although later in life, once in Canada, he did achieve his dream of learning to fly.

After completing school, a keen traveller, Christy moved to North Borneo and soon found work, made friends and continued to pursue his studies, finding encouragement from English teachers there. While in Borneo he also met Sathiaranee (Arulanantham) Aruliah and in 1961 they were married. The two moved to England in 1962 where the couple had 4 children, one daughter, Natasha (Mimi) and three sons, Lakshman (Lucky), Dhavide and Leonard. During his time in England Christy continued his studies and obtained his electrical engineering qualifications and then worked specializing in telecommunications. From 1971 to 1977, in order to support both his immediate family and his mother and siblings in Sri Lanka, he took on several overseas contracts including Resolution Island (inside the Arctic circle of Northern Canada!), Libya, Bahrain and finally back to Canada. Once he got work in Toronto and then Vancouver, he was finally able to bring his wife and children from England to settle in Canada.

A man with an adventurous spirit, full of confidence, Christy was not afraid to move to a new country with no family or networks and find his way. However, he saw it as his duty to support and help others, particularly his family. During this time, both in England and Canada, he and Sathiaranee sponsored and supported several family and community members, both in Sri Lanka and when they made their way to England and Canada, including support with their education, building a house for his mother in Sri Lanka, and bringing many of his family to Canada, supporting them when they arrived.

In 1987, Christy and Sathiaranee divorced but remained friends. In 1988 Christy was made redundant and faced the challenge as an older man finding work in his field. He was not a man to sit idle and did not want to claim from the government or take handouts. He tried his hand at many professions, selling real estate; he even worked as a MAC store franchisee. During this period he was constantly studying to keep his mind active and develop new work skills. Finally, Vancity took a chance on an older employee and hired him, being bright and studious, he quickly moved from being a teller to a financial advisor, which he did until he retired.

In 1991 Christy remarried Jeanette (Andrechuk) Aruliah and moved to live in Surrey with Jeanette, her children (Daryl, Karen and Melanie) and grandchildren (Ariel, Daniel, Shelby, Carly and Liam). Later when Christy’s mother, Clara, grew frail, they took her in and nursed her until her death in 2001. During their time together Christy introduced Jeanette to one of his passions, travel and during his retirement years they travelled to many places, China, Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Galapagos, Ecuador and the UK.

Christy will be remembered as a hard-worker, a very handy man, who didn’t like to sit idle and was always ready to fix things around the house. He helped many people as they moved to both the UK and Canada, offering financial and physical support and advice. In his later years it was his big smile that helped to ease the burden of his disease.

Christy is survived by his wife Jeanette, his children; Natasha, Lucky, Dhavide and Leonard, his grandchildren; Jos, Kieran, Guinness, Naomi and Leela, his great granddaughter; Vayda, his siblings Malar, Pavali and Richard, and his first wife Sathiaranee. Christy is predeceased by his parents; Vethacutty and Clara and his siblings; Nesomani, Ranee, Reggie, Mani and Percy.

In Lieu of flowers that family asks that donations are made to St Judes Anglican home who took such good care of him at the end (https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/12982), and the Alzheimer's society for the research and support they provide to those with dementia (https://alzheimer.ca/en/bc/Get-involved/Ways-to-donate)