Ken Wanar

Ken Wanar, 72, of Northampton, Massachusetts passed away peacefully at home on Feb 19, 2026. He was a beloved husband, father, and friend, and he will be deeply missed by many.

Born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka on November 9, 1953, to Maathavar and Paruvathapatthini Kanagarajanayagam, he left his home for London to pursue higher education in engineering, before settling down in Massachusetts. He lived in Northampton for nearly 40 years, where he raised his family and worked as a dedicated civil servant for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Throughout his life, he was known by those around him for his generosity, warmth, and wit. He enjoyed nothing more than a good meal with friends or family, and he could always be found in the front row of his children's sports and concerts, camera in hand.

He is survived by his devoted wife, Nirmala, and his children, Harry and Amita, as well as his siblings, K. N. Sena of Florida, K. Varatharajah of Ontario, Siva Nathan of Massachusetts and K. Sahadewan of Illinois. He was preceded in death by his brother K. Theva of Massachusetts.

A visitation will be held at Mitchell Funeral Home in Easthampton on Thursday, February 26th. From 4 to 6pm The family invites all who knew him to attend and share their memories. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to International Medical Health Organization, a group that works to provide medical care in Sri Lanka to those in need.

https://theimho.org/donation/