Tribute to Suri Williams

Condolence Messages from the Flatters Database

• So sorry to hear. My Heart goes to out to the family. Tilak Rajapatirana
• Very SAD news. I remember Suri very well. He was an excellent Soccer player and when we had our “Up Country- Low –Country” Challenge Soccer matches, Suri always stood out with his excellent Soccer skills, dribbling and side stepping with ease and foxing any opponent who was in his path. Yes he was a danger man to many who played against him but one of the most humble guys one could come against. They were a very Humble family and all the Williams siblings were beautiful natured kids. It is Sad news indeed as I certainly can remember him which makes it even more difficult to accept.
  “Suri was a talented Sportsman” He got involved in several sports whilst we grew up in the Good Old Bamba Flats. As mentioned earlier he excelled in Soccer and his skills could have even hypnotised a “Rattle Snake” the way he changed direction and still had full control of the Ball. He was light on his feet unlike some of us who did not have that skill. He also excelled in Cricket and I think he even played for his College. He was a stubborn Batsman who was very hard to get out and a Good spin Bowler too. Not sure whether he was the Eldest in his Family, but I can vaguely remember his siblings who are probably much younger than myself. Suri, you were a Good Sport and a Deep thinker who got into some very serious conversations. You will be fondly remembered. Rest In Peace Mate. Please pass our Sincere Condolences to the entire Williams Family. May his soul rest in Peace. God Bless, Sincerely,
  Everard & Dagmar HOFFMAN (On Behalf of the Hoffman Family of F Block)
• Please convey my condolence to Naresh. Suri was a good man! Regards Radha (Ramani) G4
• Please convey my condolences to Naresh and the family. Suri always played football with us. Even though Suri was older than us he always came to play with us. Sad to hear his passing away. Kalamohan
• Suri, as we knew was a great football player for the flats team. A soft spoken person also played cricket with us. Sad to miss him go at his early seventies. May his soul rest in peace. Rama
• My condolences to the family. Roshan Arulanatham and family.
• Sorry to hear the news. My condolences to the family. May he RIP. Tony Martyn
• I really understand what Naresh is going thru and pls send our Ponnampalam condolences to the family. God Bless. Girlie
• Suri & Naresh both played Cricket, Rugby & Soccer with us, my deepest sympathies to the Williams family, from Baratha Mendis & family.
• Please convey our heartfelt condolence with the Williams family, our thoughts and prayers
  are with them. Sandrina Withanage.
• Kindly pass on my deepest sympathies and condolences to Sufi’s family.
  Warm regards. Bertie Mendis
• Please convey My Deepest Sympathies to. Suri Williams, Brother Naresh and Families. Kind Regards Mithrani Mahadeva
• Tribute to Suri Williams
  It was with sadness I received the news of my dear friends passing, but relieved for his family. Suri surely was a person sent from above. I've known Suri from my teen years living in the flats. During my darkest days in the early 1970 after a life threatening situation he came to me, gave me hope, never gave upon me. I'm who I am because of Suri. A non- believer due to circumstances, Suri's counselling changed all of that.
  During and after my visits to Suri, I often questioned his predicament, why he had to go through life this way. But he would have said "It is God's plan, and I shouldn't question it". That was Suri.
  Shanti, and the family, please accept our heartfelt sympathies. You have lost your soul mate, a father to your children a grandfather, brother to his siblings and a true friend to me. I can never forget him.
  Be assured he is the right place, the Lord promised him room in his house and there he is in the best place one could ever ask for. Be strong in your hour of sadness.
  Ajit & Manel Abeyewardene
• Please convey our condolences to Naresh and family. Thanks n regards Hugho & Susan Wickramaratne
• Please pass my deepest condolences to Naresh and family. Cheers Royden Clogstoum
• Sorry to note the passing of Siri Williams. Do convey my deepest sympathy to Naresh and the Williams family. John Selvadurai
• I saw the obituary in the newspaper and will do my best to go for the funeral. I met him once about 3 years ago when David Solomons came to Sl. He had invited Suri for dinner. He was a lay preacher from what I gathered and was devoted to the church. I send my condolences and deepest sympathies to his family. May his soul rest in peace. Sriantha.
• My sympathies to Suri's family. Tissa Abeyewardene
• Very sad to have received the news of the sad passing of Suri Williams. Our thoughts, prayers and Deepest Condolences to all the family in these sad times. Tilani Gray (De Silva) & Johann De Silva Number 14 M Block now U.K
• Please convey my condolences to the family & realations Of Suri Williams. Raju. Mohamed Nazree Bahaudeen
• This is indeed sad news, given that in this day and age he would be considered young. It is indeed premature. This must be a shock to all his loved ones, as it is to us. May he rest in peace with his Maker.
• I remember Suri as a quiet, humble and an absolute Gentleman at the Flats. He was a couple of years older than his brother Chandran, who was in our age group. Though small made, he was thin & wiry and was a good soccer player & cricketer at the Flats.
  Please convey our sympathies and condolences to his family. Our prayers are with them in this difficult time. God bless, Kumar Kandiah
• Please pass on my sympathies to the Williams family, who have lost Suri.
  Trevor Jayatilleke
• Just got back from uncle Suri Williams's funeral and it was a very memorable one. It was awesome to meet he's wife aunty Shanthi after years and especially he's siblings Sagu, Naresh, Chandran and their families. I was a small girl in the flats and I remember them all so well and especially their mum late aunty Dulcie. It was a walk down memory lane along with my hubby today attending the thanks giving mass for the life of uncle Suri and it was a very beautiful evening. Karen Nicola Francis and Toni Duetrom.
• My deepest sympathies. Chris Wadasinghe
• Please convey our deepest sympathies, to the family. Naresh was my friend. Rukmal
• It is with great sadness that I write this message to Naresh and Shanthini on hearing of the passing away of our dear friend Suri with whom we all played soccer with at the B'pitiya flats as youngsters and fondly remember him as a courteous and kind gentlemen.
  I have just returned (16th Jan) from Los Angles to the UK after attending the funeral of my younger sister Vasundra who also passed away on 4th January in California. We happen to be staying with Suri's cousin, Karunian & Inpam, who are also my sister's neighbour informed me of Suri passing away on 13th Saturday morning whilst I was in L.A. I was fortunate enough to meet Suri and Shanthini when I visited Colombo in 2014 with the help of our mutual friend David Solomons.
  My deepest sympathies go out to Suri's family and feel the pain the immediate family is going through. Suren Wijeyadevendram
• When we were growing up in those wonderful years at the Bambalapitiya flats, we were very good friends and he was especially close to my brothers Gene and Frank Passe and would visit our home often. He was one of the nicest and God fearing persons and a true gentleman we had the privilege of knowing. Please pass on our condolences and prayers to all his family at this sad time, until we all meet again to pick up our friendship in our eternal home where boundaries and seas cannot divide us.
  Rest in peace. God bless you dear Suri. Milroy and Romany de silva (Passe-de Silva of 28 M block)
• Please pass on my condolences and deepest sympathies to Shanthi, Chandran, Naresh and the family. Suri was a true gentleman and staunch friend who lived by his Christian beliefs and immense faith. Sadly, gone but not forgotten. May he Rest in Peace in his loving saviour Jesus. Kind regards, Gene. (Gene Passé-de Silva)
• I was very saddened to hear of the passing of Suri Williams. A perfect gentleman even during his teenage years. Rest in Peace Suri. My condolences to the Williams family….Aloma Peiris Kelly ..#6 Block L
• We were hoping to go to Sri Lanka sometime this year and I thought I will meet my friend Suri. This was not to be as a couple of days after he left us I was speaking to someone who came home and she said “Suri has passed and it’s on the Flatters website”. This took me by surprise, knowing I will not see him again. We had just moved to the Flats (M block) and the kids from M were just making friends and used to gather in-between L and M blocks. In front of the M block lobby there was a log and one evening I was standing on one end when one of the guys from L block got on the other end. He said – “Let’s see if you can get to this end”. Being new I was reluctant but I thought I will try. We approached each other and there was a bit of a scuffle in the middle. Refusing to let go we both held on to each other’s shirts and ended up in the dirt. We got up and he said “I am Suri” and I said “I am David. “That’s how I met Suri”. We were about 11 or 12 then and became the best of friends.One day he told me that he wanted to pursue Gods calling. I suggested that he continue studying and become a Doctor. That way he could help more people. After much discussion I realized he had made up his mind. I couldn’t understand his decision at the time but as years passed by I realized that Suri had made the right choice. He was very involved and happy in what he did. He had a wonderful partner in Shanthi and they were blessed with a lovely family. He was a very good Husband and father and grandfather. We lost touch for a while when Suri went to work in Jaffna and I was very concerned for his safety. In the later years we kept in touch and we would catch up with Suri and Shanthi on our visits to Sri Lanka. We have on a couple of occasions gone to the Flats to reminisce and take some pictures. Among other things Suri was kind, considerate, intelligent, the peace maker, a good sportsman but most of all he was my friend. I wish him well on his journey and hope we will meet again. I have spoken to Shanthi but once again my deepest sympathies to her and the children also to Sagu, Chandran, Naresh and their families. David & Zahara Solomons (and the rest of the Solomons family).

If You wish to add your message to this list, please send it by email to kumar@bambalapitiyaflats.com

Put 'Suri' in the subject line.