Dr. Annesley Abey

Annesley Abeysirigunawardena (Abey for short) of Carmel, Indiana, son of (late) Dona Clara Lekamwasam and Joseph Abeysirigunawardena, passed away on Thursday, December 22, 2022, from Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He passed peacefully at home, just as he had wished. Annesley was an unbelievably devoted husband to Kirthi and father to Gaya and Savi. Second to that, he was a physician (Internist), practicing in Valparaiso, IN, for over thirty years. He devoted his life to helping others with the utmost care, pride, and thoroughness. He was a physician until the end, understanding his own disease process and providing precise marching orders of care. After the loss of Kirthi in May of 2022, Annesley’s sense of purpose was shaken. His disease fatigue was apparent, and the loss of his other half was too much to bear. He boldly decided to leave on his own terms to “see her again.” Annesley’s generosity, unwavering loyalty, and ability to systematically solve even the most complex issues helped so many around the world. He was our “North Star” in every sense and will remain irreplaceable. His legacy lives on in his two daughters, Gaya and Savi, sons-in-law, Jim and Jay, and especially in his grandchildren, Jehan, Kalyi, Leena, and Annesley. A private service will be held for the family and close family friends on Wednesday, December 28th. In lieu of flowers (he hated the smell), the family encourages donations to the Indiana Buddhist Temple or the Leukemia Research Foundation: http://www.indianabuddhistvihara.org/donate.html or https://leukemiarf.org/. As a family, we humbly ask that we all start asking more questions. Questions such as: • Which environmental factors contribute to cancer? • How can we help make changes to minimize or potentially eliminate these factors? • How does pesticide use impact our bodies? • Why are medical decisions made to benefit insurance companies and private equity over patients? • How can we ensure the medical community is working quickly to ensure its research base and treatment protocols are adapting to adequately serve its diverse population of men, women, and children? For our large and loving community of family and friends abroad, please light a pirith lamp in our Thatha’s honor on Wednesday, December 28th, at 2:30 pm EST. If you have memories or photos, please add a memory to this page and revisit the site as we add more photos/stories.