Vale Olga Ramasamy – A Tribute – By Trevine Rodrigo

Tribute: 

The following is an abridged version of the eulogy given by Olga’s daughter Dhulani Muthu-Krishna 

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house (Matthew 5:15).

A tribute to Olga Ramasamy (OAM) – Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Aunty, a good friend to all and above all, an elegant Lady. 

On 22nd April she was taken away from us to receive her well-earned rewards in heaven, but the lamp that she lit on earth and the example she set for others to follow, will live on forever in life and in our hearts.

Just ‘Olga’ to many, many people and ‘Mum or Mummy’ to us, she was always an elegant lady who went about her business with quiet confidence and strength.  If she set her sights on something worth achieving, she tirelessly worked till she achieved her goal.

Born to Pearl and Bertram Corea in Chilaw Sri Lanka on 9th January 1925, she lived life to the fullest in the service of her fellow human beings. She had 3 siblings, and leaves behind 6 children, 16 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren, 4 nieces and 2 nephews. To her great sorrow, she was preceded by Nooshini and two grandchildren, Steve and Michael.

She gave her children a lot of love, the love of music and taught us the etiquettes of respectable social behaviour. She was also a strict disciplinarian. Milroy recounts an incident of climbing the roof after being sent away just for resting his elbows on the table. When he fell through the roof and landed right back on top of the table, Mum’s only response was, “I did not say you could come back.”!! 

With troubled times in Sri Lanka, it was her initiative and resolve that saw the Ramasamys migrate to Perth in 1977. Here she lived for 43 years and grew to become a living legend. She was a force of nature joining the WA Sri Lanka Association on arrival, where as usual she quickly pulled the strings, introducing Foundation Day picnics, cultural performances (both choregraphing and teaching us to dance), food fairs where she cooked endlessly, and dances for every occasion-  Spring, Winter, Autumn, Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve. She coaxed, cajoled and (dare I say), bullied and bribed all of us young ones in the ‘Youth Association’ to help set up, decorate, and clean up to keep costs down! She even made us lug our little home sound system to dances before we had bands! Her home was synonymous with happy times, music, food and drink right to the end.

Taking care of four feisty teenage girls was no easy task- and party-girls Noosh and Vino often tested her. –Mum often had to play the bodyguard at our front door. When we lost Noosh many years later it devastated Mum, but she gladly and wholeheartedly stepped up to the plate as a surrogate mother to Annabelle and Ben.

Working full time, Mum still managed to fit in at least one public or community function almost daily. She was impeccably groomed, adding glamour and interest to every function she graced. Her home in Bentley was her castle. She loved her garden and   was also an avid tennis and cricket fan, often breaking rest to view finals. A fervent and avid Catholic, going to Mass and joining her Rosary Group every fortnight remained vitally important to her.

A few years of ill health forced her unwilling retirement as CEO of Australian Asian Association- an institution she had served in various capacities for almost 30 years. This was in 2015, at the of 90. I remember at Royal Perth Hospital, her complaining that she had no idea why she was in the geriatric ward with “old” people. At the time she was a feisty 89!

The respect and love afforded Mum are lasting testimony to her work with her wider family and the community. The countless tributes that have poured in from all over the world will tell the stories and record the many milestones that Mum achieved much better than I can tell you all now.

Goodbye Mum. We loved you in life and we will never forget you in death.