Sri Lanka’s veteran embalming artist recently bid farewell to the nation. Aubrey V. Raymond, 85, was not only the most senior veteran in Sri Lanka’s embalming industry but also held the same distinction in the field of funeral directors. At the time of his passing, he served as the Chairman of AF Raymond (Pvt) Ltd in Borella, a 138-year-old establishment.
On the evening of December 11, Raymond posed for a family portrait along with his wife Marie and son Shannon. However, within an hour, he peacefully closed his eyes for the last time.
His final wish was for his funeral to take place at home, eschewing the many VIP funeral parlours owned by him, without any extravagance, in a simple coffin lined with white satin. His wife and children ensured that his last wish was fulfilled.
In a 2015 interview with our sister newspaper Silumina, Raymond said that the extravagant lives of people and their unscrupulous ways only served as a reminder of death.
During the wide-ranging interview, he delved into his family’s history which began with Jacob Raymond, a Swiss national who arrived in Sri Lanka to fight against the British as part of the Dutch Army.
Carpenter
“He married and had children in Sri Lanka before his demise in 1937. My grandfather, known as A.F., was the grandson of Jacob Raymond. He worked as a carpenter crafting coffins for patients at the Mental Hospital in Colombo during that era. This marked the inception of our business,” he said at the time.
He said that AF’s carpentry business was situated next to the Borella Cemetery at the time, in proximity to the location where the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) was situated, now occupied by the BMICH, and the Mental Hospital in Colombo, which stood on the land currently occupied by the Arcade Shopping Mall in Independence Square.
“Around two bodies a day would make their way in a hand cart from these institutions to the carpentry businesses,” he recalled. As a child, Aubrey would visit his grandfather’s carpentry business and try his hand at making coffins, embalming and other work. It was here that he acquired a firm knowledge in all aspects of the business.
At the age of 20, Aubrey joined the family business. Initially, he delved into the accounts and administration work as per his father’s wishes. Over the course of nearly 60 years, he worked tirelessly, embalming countless bodies that came their way. Aubrey viewed it as a service, not merely a business, aligning with the perspective held by his father and his grandfather before him. He gave every body that came his away a fitting departure, in line with the wishes of that person’s relatives.
Aubrey always regarded every corpse sent for embalming as a VIP. “The person who passed away is always the mother, father, son, brother, sister or relative of another. He or she is a VIP to that family. Therefore, a package offered by a funeral parlour does not make a person a VIP,” he said at the time.
South Asia
Over the years, Aubrey’s son Shanon has followed in his father’s footsteps in the business. Today he is recognised as the youngest qualified embalmer in South Asia. “Embalming is an art,” Aubrey once said. Meanwhile, his other son Johann manages the administration side of the business, which is open 24/7 as death respects no time.
To Aubrey, the embalming room was a place that taught him the best lessons in life. He found that lifeless bodies reminded him of the impermanence of life. Similarly, he often found the Borella Cemetery, silent, desolate and dark, as a place for reflection.
Following his death, it was his son Shannon who lovingly embalmed his father’s body, although this is admittedly a difficult task for any son to perform. The face remained unchanged and natural, showcasing Shannon’s talent.
During his lifetime, Aubrey V. Raymond silently carried out many meritorious acts. On All Saints’ Day, A.F. Raymond’s holds masses at six locations in the city. The company also conducts funeral rites for children under the age of 12, residents of the Rajagiriya Victoria Home for the Terminally Ill, and Darley Road Elders Home free of charge.
Eight years ago Aubrey had this to say about human life. “People need to witness the impact of beautiful faces being crushed, broken, and spread on a bench. It will be an opportunity for them to cease hating others and cultivate a positive perspective on life. Someone who witnesses such scenes will likely never contemplate causing harm to another human being during his or her lifetime.”
Pix by Sudath Nishantha
Translated by Maneshka Borham
A requiem mass in remembrance of Aubrey V. Raymond will be held on Monday December 18, 2023 at All Saints Church, Borella at 5.30 p.m.
