Song for Sheila Chithie at first death anniversary on 24.04.2010
This song for “Sheila Bee” was written on the first death anniversary of Sheila Chithie, who passed away in 2009. Mum always called her youngest sister by her pet name “She-girl” or “Bee”, and Sheila Chithie called her “Thitha” , her name for “Kitty’ka”.
Mum had just had surgery for a broken femur and couldn’t make it to Sheila Chithie’s gravestone dedication, so I wrote this song to the tune of one of Mum’s favourite songs, “Trees”, so it felt like Mum was present when we sang it. The tune was apt, as at the cemetery we were surrounded by gorgeous trees, some of them in full bloom like the flaming Gulmohar tree. The trees reminded me of Sheila Chithie and Reggie Uncle with their lovely garden at home and at their farm.
We gathered at at the serene and quiet Kalpalli Cemetery with its rustic outdoor chapel and stone benches. Rev. Nirmala Vasantha Kumar led us in prayer and gave a simple message of faith and comfort. She appreciated the valuable work Sheila Chithie had put in for the people of Asha Nivas and St. Stephen’s Home, the Homes for the Aged at St. John’s Church. Sheila Chithie would visit them personally, bring special foods for them and also add her inputs as a Nutritionist to see that their diet was nutritious and good for health. Nita had chosen some hymns which we sang by the graveside and paid our respects with flowers and wreaths at Sheila Chithie’s grave, which is side-by-side with Reggie Uncle’s grave.
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Song for Sheila Chithie at Gravestone Dedication on 24.04.2010
Tune: “Trees”
I think that I shall never see
A lady rare as Sheila Bee
Beautiful from inside out
Loving wife without a doubt
A loving mom to Nita dear
Nurtured and guided her through all the years…
Intelligent and smart was she
Wrote books on counting calories
A Home Science professor, she’s
A whiz at baking brownies…
Memories are made of moments like these
We thank you God for our Sheila Bee.
Let’s stop and think a moment or two
Of little things she used to do
Her lovely laugh, her winning smile
Her zest for life, her energy
Her love of friends and family
Got them together at parties…
She always dressed impeccably
She lent a hand to those in need
Courageous in life’s challenges
She held on to God in faith…
And now she’s with our Lord above
We want to give her all our love.