Message from Joseph John Pillai, 6 July 2005
Dear Kirkbyites and
friends,
On behalf of my late
brother's family and myself, I would like to record our sincere thanks for your
condolences. It was more than comforting to be consoled in person at his
home and later at his funeral service at the church. To be among so many
Kirkbyites was almost like a reunion albeit a very sad one.
Lawrence and I were not
only at Kirkby together but were also classmates from
Year One in primary School (1946) till we completed secondary school (Form V)
in 1956. Later, after marriage, our two families were always in close contact.
So you can understand my loss. Even now his death has not fully registered as
it was so unexpected.
Thank you.
Joseph John Pillai
434
70400 Seremban
Negri Sembilan
Tel: 06-7630416
Message from Gerry Pillai, Son of John Pillai, 2 July 2005
This is to inform that John Pillai has
passed away on 2 July 2005.
For information, pls
contact me (his son) Gerry at:
+603 772 75709
019 207 2077
House no 116 Lorong
Zaaba
60000
TQ
Gerry Pillai
Message from Rama,
2 July 2005
JOHN PILLAI
It
saddens me to inform you all that
Adeline
responded: “I just spoke to John’s son. Body at home – 116 Lorong
Zaaba,
Incidentally,
Shan will also be going to KL tomorrow to convey his condolences to the family.
This year has not been particularly a good
year for the 1959/1960 batch of Kirkbyites. In less
than 5 months we have lost 4 Kirkbyites from this
batch: Yong Ah Kau, William Sabaratnam,
Sakthianathan and John Pillai.
Who knows how many more will bid us
farewell before the year is out?
You will recall that John also had a
brother, Joseph John, who was from the same batch. I know of no other case when
two brothers went to Kirkby the same year.
Shan tells me that he and John went to the
same school in Tampin and were classmates for a year
in Primary 1. Then years later, they met up in Kirkby
and remained in touch all these years.
John, Ling Suan
and I worked together in producing the PANDUAN in 1960. He was the Editor; Ling
Suan and I were the Sub-Editors.
He was in my group when I organized a tour
of
John had included this photograph
capturing this poignant moment in the Golden Panduan
that he produced for the 50th Anniversary on 15 September 2001.
After Kirkby our
paths did not cross until the occasion 0f the 50th Anniversary,
though there were a few occasional letters until 1969. His father died that
year and it was just about the time when I lost my dear mother. I still recall
the words in that letter written to John to express my sympathies: “I know what
it means to lose a loved one. I understand the sorrow and the pain that you
must suffer because I too lost someone dear to me. My mother passed away
recently.”
Then sometime in 1985 or 1986, when I was
in KL attending a Workshop on the Education of the Blind, I telephoned John and
we had a chat.
After that, and 15 years later, I saw him
at the Grand Kirkby Reunion on 15 September 2001 but
we did not get to chat. Then finally I met him at Shan’s son’s wedding dinner
at PD on 9 February 2003. I was at the entrance of the hall when he and his
brother, Joseph John arrived. We talked this time. And we all sat at the same
table: Hamid and his wife; Sukdev
Singh and wife; John and Joseph. Sakthinathan was
there also.We had a very pleasant time together.
It appeared to me that like the rest of us
he was out of circulation until 2001 when he played a pivotal role together
with the rest of the Committee Members in organizing the highly successful 50th
Anniversary.
It was rather unfortunate that he was
unable to be present at the Penang
May he rest in peace.
Those of you wishing to visit his
residence or wanting to drop a note or make a call, the following particulars
may be helpful:
116, Lorong Zaaba,
Tel: 03-7727 5709; Fax: 03-7727 5709; Hp:
016 277 0936
Email: jpillai@hotmail.com
With very warm regards,
Rama
2 July 11.30 p.m.
Message from Rosalyn, 2 July 2005
Rama SMS me a few minutes ago informing me of the passing away of
our dear friend John Pillai(1959-1960) at 4.30pm this afternoon.
I'm sure you
are as shocked as I was to receive this sad tidings.
As you know the late John Pillai was
the one who organised the Kirkby 2001 Golden
Anniversary
We have him to
thank for cementing the bond that we Kirkbyites
enjoy today.
Please pray for
his soul.If possible,those who can,try
to attend his funeral.
We all share
the grief of his passing with his bereaved family.
Rosalyn
ps; Please pass the sad news to those who are not on the net
& to those whose names I have inadvertently left out. Thanks.
Message from Chiam Tah Wen, 3 July 2005
Dear Kirkbyites and friends,
We have lost a dear friend and a great Kirkbyite who
succumbed to heart attack on Saturday evening July 2, 2005.
Not only was he a great teacher, a media specialist and a crusader against drug
abuse, he was also a loving husband, a doting father and a very caring person.
He brought the many Kirkbyites together from the
first batch in 1951
to the last batch in 1962 in the mammoth Kirkby
Golden Jubilee Reunion
in
function with HRH Tuanku Bainun,
Raja Permaisuri Perak,
herself a
Kirkbyite, as the patron.
In addition to the Kirkbyites who flew in from many
parts of the
world, the son of our Kirkby senior Mathematics
Lecturer Mr
A.D.Walters -- Christopher D. Walters who grew up in Kirkby and now a
successful water engineer with business interests in SEA -- and his
wife Ann and the Kirkby foster parents of many Kirkbyites Mr
& Mrs
R.A. Gillis also attended the reunion. So did the President of the
Taylor's Education Group Dr Khoo Soo
Peng and his wife and many other
distinguished guests.
On this very sad occasion, we wish to extend our deepest condolences
to John's wife Teresa, his children and relatives. May he rest in peace.
It has been announced that the funeral service would be held at
Fatimah Catholic Church in Brickfields,
at 10.30 am.
Chiam Tah Wen
Message from Rama
JOHN PILLAI : Cause of Death
Dear Kirkbyites,
Bala of 1958/1959 batch rang me
just after 6 p.m. from John Pillai’s residence. He
had gone to pay his respects to the late John Pillai
and met Joseph John, the brother of JP.
He very kindly connected me to Joseph through his hand
phone. According to Joseph, his brother went for a check up last week and was
given a clean bill of health. This is why they were all very shocked by the
sudden turn of events.
Apparently John suffered a massive cardiac arrest and
passed away before help could reach him.
Joseph informed me that Shan, Hamid,
Vimala, Arulmalar and
others - I’m not able to recall their names - dropped by to convey their
condolences. I’m sure others will also attend the funeral tomorrow.
Chelva
also rang from Malacca to inform me that he had called John’s home to enquire
about the funeral and was told that it would take place on Monday.
The New Sunday
Times carried an obituary on page 32 that stated that the cortege would leave 116 Lorong Zaaba,
4 July 2005 (Monday) for funeral
mass at Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Brichfields at
10.30 and thence to Cheras Crematorium.
For further details call 03-7727
5709 or 012-2168102 (Stefanie)
There was also a report on page 24 of the Sunday Times:
Ex-NST journalist Pillai dies
Pillai
was resting in the afternoon when he encountered breathing problems.
He died before the doctor arrived.
Pillai,
who left the company in 1998 after 27 years of service, was the pioneer editor
of the NST’s Newspaper-in-Education programme. He had various other posts including specialist
writer and special projects co-ordinator.
NST director and former Group Editor P.C. Shivadas said, “I feel saddened by his passing.”
Pillai
was the deputy secretary of the International Information Bureau of the
National Association for Drug Abuse and authored several papers on the subject.
He was also a member of the Asia-Pacific NGO Anti-Drugs Training-the-Trainer
Team.
Pillai
was an alumnus of Malayan Teachers’ College in
The Sunday Mail had this report on page 2:
Former journalist John Pillai
dies
Former New Straits
Times (NST) journalist, L. L. John Pillai
passed away at his Taman Tun
Dr Ismail family home in Kuala Lumpur, yesterday
evening. He was 69.
John was at home with his family when he was believed to
have suffered breathing difficulties at about 5.20 pm.
His family summoned a doctor who pronounced him dead.
John is survived by his widow Teresa, three daughters and a
son.
He served NST for 27 years until his retirement in 1991.
His last post was as the editor of Newspaper In Education (NIE) unit.
A trained teacher, he was among the first batch of “Kirkbyites” who were sent to the Malayan Teachers'
He was also a strong advocate of anti-dadah
programmes and a certified drug sbuse
prevention specialist, having onducted and
participated in numerous drug abuse prevention courses locally and
internationally.
Tien Chong
wrote:
Dear Rama,
Many thanks for your prompt
reply. I'm extremely distressed to hear of such sad news so unexpectedly. You
do have a great burden to bear having to pass on such unfortunate tidings and I
like you to know that I and I'm sure, all Kirkbyites, really appreciate your effect.
If you or others decide to have
any commemoration done for our JP, I beg to be included. Kindly keep me informed.
Extremely grateful and thank you
again, Rama.
TC
Sun, 3 Jul 2005
17:34:35 +1200
Kindly take note of Tien Chong's request and keep him posted.
With very warm regards,
Rama
Message from Fook Wah, 4 July 2005
Hi All,
It is indeed sad news for all of us who know him ,,John. Our Condolences to his
family and loved ones he left behind.
God Bless him.
fookwah, maureen
and david tan.
Message from Helen Livesey-Jones, 5 July 2005
Dear Kirkby friends I was very shocked to hear from John Pillai's son, Gerry that John had passed away. He and I had begun writing toward the end of last year when first I discovered Kirkby students 'on line'. He sent me many lovely cuttings and information about the Golden Jubilee and pictures of his beautiful family of whom he was so obviously very proud. He was so full of enthusiasm and energy - always doing something new or setting off to a drugs training programme in another country. I was impressed by his love of life and his excitement about the world around him. I do wish I had had a chance to meet him again as an adult - not just as a child. My dad was his lecturer and that of his younger brother, Joseph. John shared some happy memories of my dad and Kirkby - and I thank him very much for that. I send my and my family's heart felt sympathy to John's family. I have no doubt that the world is a poorer place without him. Helen Livesey-Jones Dear friends, My mother, Rita Kennedy, wishes to pass on her sadness and condolences to the family of John Pillai. She had been in regular contact with him (on behalf
of my father Joe, during his illness, and most recently since his death in
March) and was deeply sorry when I passed on to her the news. He clearly did great work in keeping the memories, friendships and all-round strength of Kirkby
alive.
I hope someone can kindly forward this to Shanthini for Joseph John Pillai and all the family.
With warm wishes to all.
Frank Kennedy