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Kethieswaran THURAISINGHAM
Kethieswaran THURAISINGHAM
Obituary
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Kethieswaran THURAISINGHAM Obituary
THURAISINGHAM
(Singham)
Dr Kethieswaran (Kethies)
Aged 80
passed away peacefully on Sunday 25 September 2016 at Sydney, NSW with his family by his side.
Beloved husband of Vadivambikai (Ambi) nee Muthiapillai , devoted father and father-in-law to Sashie and Mohan, Menaka and Mahendra, Ramana and Imma; and cherished grandfather of Ashwini, Anjali, Vidya, Aran and Aidan. Kethies was born in Sri Lanka, qualified as a general surgeon in the UK and migrated with his family to Australia in 1974.
A loving family man, he was also a caring, dedicated doctor and esteemed general surgeon who practised in Sri Lanka, Darwin, Broken Hill, Liverpool, Camden and Campbelltown.
Kethies was passionate about tennis, cricket and travelling.
Family, friends and colleagues are warmly invited to attend a service of thanksgiving to God for the life of Kethies to be held at 11:00 am SATURDAY (1st October 2016) at the Magnolia Chapel, Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium.
At Kethies' request, a private funeral and cremation with immediate family in attendance will be held subsequent to the service.
In lieu of flowers, if you wish, please honour Kethies' memory by making a donation to The Salvation Army.
We will always treasure our memories of Kethies and in our hearts he will stay forever.
29 Entries
Wayde Carter
January 7, 2024
Dr Kethies was a brilliant selfless gentleman with a wonderful sense of humour. I met him through the Breakaway Band when we played Sri Lankan dances and functions and for some reason he made a positive impact on me. That is why I have never forgotten him.
Thevakie Karunagaran
September 24, 2018
Remembering my dear Anna on this 2nd anniversary.(25th September 2018) I cherish his love, courage, inspiring smile and his never failing support. I miss him very much.
Nathan Williams
June 24, 2018
Dr Singham saved my life in the Campbelltown ER when I was 11. He took great care and interest in my case for years after.
Anjali
February 6, 2017
We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.
These words by Winston Churchill are a true embodiment of my grandfather's life. He was a truly giving individual who lived an amazing life.
My name is Anjali I am Dr Thuraisingham's second grandchild.
One of my favourite qualities of my grandpa was his selflessness. I was grateful enough to experience the firsthand effects of his generosity. Hearing countless stories from countless individuals about all the amazing things he did. One occasion where I heard on of these stories, I was actually 1147 km away from home in Broken Hill. As alluded to before my Grandfather lived and worked in Broken Hill. When I was 14 years old I attended a school camp in Broken Hill. While I was on the camp the local newspaper published an article about my school and mentioned that I had ties to the community as my family once lived there. On the following afternoon that the paper was released my school was contacted by a lady who desperately wanted to speak to me. I would later find out that my Grandfather had operated on her son and had saved his life. 41 years later, she had remembered my grandfather's name. I was quite shocked; it was really only then at that young age did I truly understand how much difference my Grandfather made in every place he visited.
My grandfather was undeniably one of the most outstanding people I have ever come across. As mentioned before and what will later on by my cousins, my grandfather achieved a lot and helped many people. He was always putting his wife, children and grandchildren's needs before his. He went above and beyond to help us all. He treated us all as equals and never favoured one over the other. There is a whole a lot I could say but it wouldn't do him justice in just a few short paragraphs. I know I speak for my entire family when I say that we all aspire everyday to achieve at least half of what he has. He was a profound inspiration and left a lasting impression on us all.
Thank you Grandpa for everything you did. Taking me to classes every afternoon, teaching me things that I didn't even know would be useful to me in life, for always being there for me no matter. You were the only grandfather I had, but you made up for that in some many ways that others will not be able to imagine or understand. I am going to miss you so much and I will always love you.
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November 21, 2016
Dr Eddie Lim's speech from the memorial :
The last time I spoke in regards to Dr Thuraisingham was on the occasion of his retirement from Campbelltown Hospital, where he had been a surgeon since 1978. That was an occasion of sadness because it marked the end of a long and fruitful career. Now, I am speaking on another occasion, the commemoration and passing of an extraordinary colleague and a friend.
I met Kathies for the first time back in 1978 when we were newly appointed Visiting Medical Officers to Camden and Campbelltown Hospital. The first impression then was that of a lofty, imposing gentleman with wavy hair, sartorially suited with a sonorous voice behind which hid a wicked sense of humour. I had no option but to look up to him. He was much taller than I was.
I learned that he came from Sri Lanka and ended up in Campbelltown via a rather devious route through Alice Spring, Darwin and Broken Hill. His career has been well documented by my previous speakers.
However, speaking as a colleague, I have been privileged to have worked with him over many years as members of a surgical team, that pioneered the development of surgical services in South West Sydney. We readied health care for a burgeoning population growth area that we see today. In his charming way, he gained the esteem of the local community and established a busy private practice. His contribution to our local hospitals, both public and private over the years have been immense. Aside from elective surgery, he participated in after-hours on-call, week in and week out, losing count of the number of patients whose maladies he excised, repaired, and cured. Young doctors and medical students learned from his expertise and were fortunate to have him as a teacher and mentor. During his years in Campbelltown, he became a popular friend to nurses and co-workers who bestowed on him the nickname Blossom' for reasons I am unable to ascertain. And, during stints as Chairman of the Dept of Surgery, he contributed in no small way to the advancement of a new and developing hospital. He served in various committees and sub-committees, too many to enumerate and helped set up a training facility for future surgeons. He was always one to insist on maintaining high standards and to protest loudly to the administration when services and equipments were not up to scratch. As a mark of a fine and caring surgeon, he was never afraid to consult his colleagues with problems that challenged or troubled him. Phone calls to me to sound off on problems always ended with oh, okay followed by a grunt before he hung up.
Outside work, he was a father of three daughters, a devoted husband and grandfather. He was a cricket tragic and I recall that during test matches, he insisted on having ball by ball report conveyed to the operating theatre while he was scrubbed. I learned that he was a feared tennis player and, for those of us who have watched him closely, a fine exponent of the art of Itchy and scratchy'. We all knew him as a collector of new, fast and expensive cars. I believe he changed cars as often as he changed suits
Kathies, I am dismayed to bid you farewell. I will miss you and I am blessed to have known you and to count you as a friend, a respected colleague and a fine surgeon..
November 7, 2016
You were a brother in a million. Although we were thousands of miles apart you were always there for me.
Sadly missed. Rest in peace
October 12, 2016
1 Corinthians 13:12: "For now we see through a glass, darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then shall I know, even as also I am known."
May God coat your hearts with peace.
C. Seward
Nalini Chelliah
October 11, 2016
Rest in Peace Uncle!
Sharmini Benjamin
October 8, 2016
Dear Aunty Ambi, Menaka, Ramana and Sashi,
We were sad to hear of your loss. All our love and sympathy to you and your families.
Sharmini, Paul, Thomas and James
Rajan Richards
October 3, 2016
Dear Ambi and family,
Please accept our deepest sympathies. Vino and I are so saddened to hear of his death. My memories of him go back to when he built me a mat slide when I was child in Peradeniya. In later life, we worked together at Campbelltown Private Hospital. His advise was invaluable. His humility and boyish sense of fun were endearing traits that drew everyone to him. He is now at peace in the arms of God.
Rajan and Vino Richards
Tanya Selvapatt
October 3, 2016
Dear Hoo Pati, Aunty Sashie, Aunty Ramana, Aunty Menaka and families,
Our deepest sympathies go out to you all.
I will always remember and treasure staying with you and Hoo Thathi for my elective and blessing us at our wedding.
We are eternally grateful for all of his help and his great support to mummy.
We are so touched by Hoo Thathi's and your lovely card for Ryan's birth and are very honoured that Hoo Thathi thought of us in his final days. We will treasure it always to remember his thoughtful, loving and caring nature.
Hope the fond memories of his fulfilled life can give you all some comfort at this difficult time.
All our love Tanya, Nowlan & Ryan xxx
October 1, 2016
Kethies and I were classmates for some years at St.John's.
I remember their new house(it was considered a mansion those days) BRINDHAVANAM' when it was built. This was something we his classmates admired.
The following may be interesting information.
Early in the sixth form at St John's I decided that I should do medicine and not Engineering.
To my great regret, all 32 places in the Biology stream (number determined by the number of microscopes available) had been filled at the beginning of the year.
I had to decide sadly to remain in the Maths stream.
To my great surprise and joy, the Principal called me the following day to tell me that Kethies' had left St John's that day -to join St Thomas' Mt. Lavinia and that I could join the Biology stream.
I was thus able to pursue my new passion- to do medicine- because Ketheis' parents decided to enrol him at St. Thomas'-probably as they were being transferred to Colombo. Thank GOD.
I lost contact with Keithies, after he migrated to Sydney.
My deepest sympathy to his wife and family and also to Vadivambikai and other siblings.
May the memories of the happy times you all had with him never fade away.
Robert Benjamin
Napier New Zealand
My Dear Anna
Thevakie Karunagaran
October 1, 2016
Dear Anna (Bro), the memories of my childhood would have been a dark night if not for you. We were great pals, the pranks we got up to were endless; adult's siesta time, perched on the mango tree, eating raw mangoes with salt and chili. I recall the days when we would joyously play with our pet squirrels Titty and Tatty, and the evenings when you would teach me to ride a bike on the condition that I would join you in a game of cricket or hide and seek. Life became serious when we turned teenagers. You left for medical college and I married and left home. Though apart we were bonded with love and support to one other. Dear Anna my family and I will miss you, but remember you with respect, admiration, and love, always, always!
One of my last memories shared with my Anna
Thevakie Karunagaran
September 30, 2016
Rita & Vajira Amarasinghe
September 30, 2016
Dear Mrs Vadivambikai Kandasamy, Sashie, Menaka & Ramana
Our heartfelt deepest sympathies. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. May his soul rest in peace.
Kind regards,
Rita and Vajira
Rita & Vajira Amarasinghe
September 30, 2016
Dear Mrs Vadivambikai Kandasamy
Our heartfelt deepest sympathies.
Devayani Pasupati
September 30, 2016
Dear Aunty Ambi, Sashie, Menaka & Ramana
Please accept our heartfelt condolences. May his soul rest in peace.
Kind Regards
Umesh & Devayani
September 30, 2016
Dear Mrs. Vadivambikai Kandasamy,
Please accept our heartfelt condolences. From Dr.& Dr.Mrs. Sivayoham
Nada Naysun
September 30, 2016
Dear Ambi,
My deepest sympathies. Can never forget him and the memories of our times in London and Sri Lanka are flooding back.
Freddo &Ranji Benjamin
September 29, 2016
Our sympathies to the family at this time.
Ranganathan Srinivasan
September 29, 2016
Our Kethies Anna
A Gentle Giant and a Tower of Strength; Ever Ready to Help with a Heart of Gold but Soft as a Flower; his surgical cuts were of the Kindest Nature incised with Steady but Caring Fingers; Even when nearing Eighty remained Young at Heart & as Adventurous as when he was Eighteen; a Sportsman & Gentleman to the Core.
His Soul has Departed but Loving Memories shall be Cherished Forever.
Srini & Shanthy
Westmead NSW.
September 29, 2016
My deepest sympathies to his beloved wife and children. May his soul rest in peace.
Logi Mariathasan from Canada
Bernard Sinniah
September 29, 2016
I am so saddened by the death of Dr Ketheas. I served under him as Secy of SJC OBA, when he was the innaugral President. Rest in peace Dr. Sincerely Sinna
George Hatoum
September 28, 2016
Condolences from george and Caroline Hatoum and family
Naren Narendran
September 28, 2016
Mahendra and Menaka
Please accept our deepest condolences. Our prayers and thoughts are with you and the family in this very difficult time. May God bless uncle's soul.
Naren and Asha
Janaki
September 28, 2016
Dear Sashie, my thoughts and prayers are with you at this time of grief. With deep sympathy, Janaki (Nee Mylvaganam) Ramachandran
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