TRIBUTES have been paid to a Sri Lankan woman who was killed crossing the road in Petersfield last week.
Lakshmi (Yogalakshmi) Sinnaiah died in the tragic accident at the Dragon Street crossing close to the junction with the High Street last Tuesday.
The accident, which also involved a recycling lorry, occurred around 2pm and Lakshmi was pronounced dead at the scene around 90 minutes later.
Not least because Lakshmi lost her own son, Pragash, in 2007. She is survived by her daughter, Ramani, who is currently studying at university in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
Jay Sellahewa, a Sri Lankan diplomat for whom Lakshmi worked as a housekeeper in Liss from 2005, paid tribute to a “generous and caring woman who never stopped helping the less able and disadvantaged, despite not having resources to give away”.
Lakshmi helped look after Mr Sellahewa’s two children, Roshan and Andrew, after the death of his English wife.
“She was a trusted housekeeper who became a family friend and a part of our family over the 12 years,” he said.
“I feel her loss every hour and every day, this has been the most painful experience for me since my late wife’s death in 2003. I would, with Ramani’s support, continue her charity work.”
As well as supporting her own children with their education in Sri Lanka, Lakshmi also helped her tsunami-affected relatives rebuild their lives with donations from her many friends in Liss and Petersfield.
After the tragic death of her son in 2007, she set up a fund in his name to help support an orphanage, Sri Jinanada Children’s Development Centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Her fundraising built two much-needed washrooms for the children.
Family friend Sophie Davey, for whom Lakshmi also worked, said: “Lakshmi arrived on many Petersfield doorsteps with a huge beaming smile and looking for work.
“She wasn’t just wanting to earn enough money to educate her children, she genuinely wanted to help.
“She always worked so hard and helped not only support the older generation with domestic chores she also was a brilliant mother’s help to women with young families. She loved dusting and polishing and making everything look lovely but her favourite was always cleaning any silver and brass.
“Periodically, she went home to Sri Lanka and no one ever quite knew when she was going to appear again, but when she did it was always with mementoes, pictures, lovely tea and news of her family.
“She was one of life’s angels with a huge personality, cheerful and so giving and kind with an optimism which kept her going in the bad times as well as the good.”
Ms Davey’s sentiments were echoed by Rebecca Baxter, who said: “She used to work for me, doing the cleaning and helping with babysitting. She was a worker but also a friend, since she left she has remained a dear friend and she would come round for cups of tea.
“She spent her whole life working abroad, so she could fund education for her son and daughter. Her son’s death was very sad and she started raising money for orphanages.
“She was a very lovely and charming lady and she had so many friends. She would travel back and forth to Sri Lanka and when she returned she stayed in contact with everyone she met and even though she didn’t have much money she would always bring everyone back presents.
“And although she didn’t have much money she would continue to raise money for these orphanages. She was just really lovely.”
And she added: “Her daughter is due to graduate in April this year and then get married in the summer. My mother saw Lakshmi on the Monday before she died and it was the happiest my mother had seen her, because her daughter was so happy and doing well.”
Flowers are welcome at the funeral and donations, if desired, in respect of Lakshmi, can be sent to Rowland’s Funeral Service or to crowdfunding.justgiving.com/lakshmi.
All enquiries concerning the funeral arrangements, which are yet to be confirmed, should be made c/o Rowland’s Funeral Services, St Peter’s Road, GU32 3HX. Tel: 01730 262711.
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