Rosalind Rasamanie Rajanayagam

RAJANAYAGAM, Rosalind (Rasamanie) peacefully departed on October 2, 2015 in her 90th year, surrounded by loved ones in her home at Christie Gardens in Toronto. Cherished mother of Elizabeth of Ottawa and Cecilia (Gary) of Saskatoon. Doting Grandma to Adrian and Mara Teare. She was predeceased by her husband Solomon. Rasamanie (as she was affectionately known) was a kind and passionate spirit- a true original. Our mother was a renegade, blazing trails in both her personal and professional lives, long before it was fashionable for women to do so. Born in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), she arrived in Toronto to much fanfare crossing three continents to wed Solomon in 1960. For the next 55 years Toronto remained her home. Her entire Canadian teaching career (1960-1987) was spent at Heydon Park Secondary School. However, Vembadi Girls’ High School in Sri Lanka, where she was a student and later a teacher (1936-1960), held a very special place in her heart. Throughout her lifetime she remained committed to the Sri Lankan community in many ways. Family and friends will be received on Friday October 9th from 2:00PM-4:00PM and from 5:00 PM-9:00 PM at the GIFFEN-MACK FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION CENTRE, 2570 Danforth Avenue (at Main subway station), (416) 698-3121. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday October 10th at 2:00 PM with a time for visitation from 1:00 PM-2:00 PM at Hope United Church, 2550 Danforth Avenue, Toronto. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Tamil Christian Church of Canada in Rasamanie’s memory.