Cecil M. Perera

Cecil Manik Perera, 71, died in Duke Hospital following a year-long illness. He was borneebruary 6, 1942 in Sri Lanka, moving to the U.S. in 1967. Cecil initially worked with the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington, DC, where he met his future wife, Therese. They were married in 1969 in St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington. Cecil then spent about 30 years with the World Bank, from where he retired as Senior Disbursement Officer in 1998. He was a longtime parishioner of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Rockville, MD and a member of the Knights of Columbus of Rockville. A Durham resident since 2005, he was a parishioner of Holy Infant Catholic Church. Cecil was a founding member of the Sri Lanka Association of Washington, DC and the Saint Peter's College Old Boys Union. He was also a member of the Sri Lanka Cricket Society of Washington and was an ardent Washingtoneedskins fan. A man of kineess and thoughtfulness, Cecil easily made friends wherever he went. He was a supportive and loving husband, father and grandfather, and will be greatly missed. Surviving are his wife, Therese; his children, Ronald Payal Perera of Chapel Hill, Kathy Jake Jacobs of Rockville, MD, Sherine Scot Blackburn of Gastonia and Alaneerera of Alhambra, CA; his grandchildren, Justin, Aryanna aneevaneerera, Audra and Kaiden Jacobs, and Cecilia, Hannah, Lydia and Timothy Blackburn; and siblings, Lylee Reginald Perera of St. Paul, MN and Lucieneerera in Sri Lanka. A funeral Mass will be offered 11:00 AM Thursday from Holy Infant Catholic Church, with Fr. David Devlin, OSFS presiding. The family will receive visitors from 10-11:00 in church. Gifts ineecil's memory may be made to Catholic Charities of Washington, catholiccharitriesdc.org or to Help the Helpless, PO Box 270308, Vadnais Heights, MN 55127.