Des Kelly – R.I.P – by Roger Thiedeman
Dear Neil,
I was very sorry to hear this morning of the passing of Des Kelly.
I count it a privilege, and a very timely one, to have spent an hour or so with Des at his place of residence only a couple of months ago. Although it was obvious that his physical health and mobility were compromised to varying degrees, he was still mentally as sharp as the proverbial tack, and completely ‘on form’ as far as his memory and wit were concerned.
I am attaching a few photos you may care to include in a tribute to Des in eLanka Newsletter.
The pics were taken by me in December 1990, during the first visit to Australia by Sri Lankan music superstar, now mentor and ‘guru’, Keerthi Pasquel. He was joined on that tour by Mariazelle Goonetilleke, also making her first trip ‘Down Under’.
Two of the pics show Des doing what he did best – belting out a baila song with Keerthi on bass guitar, during a concert at the Robert Blackwood Hall, Monash University, Clayton.
The other pic was taken at a dinner-dance, at which Keerthi and Mariazelle were the featured stars, held at the Springvale Town Hall. In this photo Des is seated next to his wife Cynthia (née Georgesz). Next to Cynthia is my father Annesley Thiedeman, and then my mother Noeline Thiedeman. Cynthia and my father were first cousins. All four ‘protagonists’ in this photo are now deceased.
Regards,
Roger.
