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Memories of Leela |
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LEELA RAMDASS, a long-standing employee of the TnT News
Centre passed away last week Tuesday.
She worked in the non-editorial section of the company.
Leela was cremated on Friday.
Company Secretary Mymoona Khan, a life-long personal friend of
Leela, delivered the following eulogy at the funeral service held
at Leela’s home in Tunapuna.
I GREET all of you this afternoon in the name of the one true
living God.
May his peace, blessings and mercies be upon us all.
Today, we celebrate Leela’s life and what a wonderful life
it was.
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LEELA
RAMDASS
at a recent gala
occasion.
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I have known Leela Ramdass for more than 25 years; she has worked
with the company for approximately 26 years.
Leela first worked at the Bomb Newspaper as a cashier and later
moved over when we started the TnT Mirror and remained as one of
the most loyal and dedicated staffers that a company can expect.
She was understanding, cool and calm, and never destroyed the work
atmosphere with negatives.
More importantly, though, she had a wonderful sense of humour, which
enlightened our most tedious work day.
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You could tell her anything and she would
smile about it.
Even when there was the need to be firm with her and other
members of staff, Leela listened and I know that she often
admitted that it was always in her best interest that she
was reprimanded.
For the years that we have known her, she showed us all
love and would pass over any in indiscretions that fell
her way, as if it never bothered her.
One year ago, after she suffered a minor stroke, management
decided to reduce her work load, because of her failing
health, and that is how she became the company’s receptionist.
Most times, the first person you would hear when the phone
rang was Leela.
Unfortunately, on Tuesday morning, the first working day
of this year, Leela left her home at Tunapuna, but never
made it inside the office to sit at her desk.
Yes, she arrived at work and parked her car as usual. But
she never got out.
She could not even call out to us.
One of the company’s couriers who pulled alongside
her in the car-park noticed that her cellphone and handbag
were on the ground.
One of her feet was already outside of the car, as she was
probably trying to make her way out.
She called out to him by motioning with her hand and only
then he realised that something was wrong.
By this time, the staff, which had found it strange that
she took so long to come out of the car, started walking
outside of the office to see what was happening.
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Mourners
take a last look.
LEELA
RAMDASS’ mom, BASDAYE at the
service.
Mourners
pay their respect.
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There, in her car, we found Leela’s already limp body behind
the steering wheel.
We reclined the seat to make her more comfortable and immediately
summoned the Emergency Health Services ambulance.
She was then taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital and at
about 9.30 p.m. on Tuesday January 3, 2006, Leela succumbed to a
massive stroke.
We are now left only with memories, especially the picture of her
smiling face, as she seemed so happy just over one week before she
died, when we celebrated the holiday season with staff members.
Leela was not only an employee at the Mirror; she was family and
friend to all of us.
She was part of Mirror.
She was one of the pillars on which Mirror stands.
We have all been blessed to know Leela and we pray that she rests
peacefully in the arms of Almighty God.
On behalf of the Management and Staff at TnT News Centre, I wish
to extend condolences to her siblings and her mother, Basdaye, who
survives her third daughter.
The world is a better place because of us having known someone like
Leela.
May Almighty God bless us all.
Thank you. |
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