Tribute to our father's close friend, our dearest Uncle Ismail

Our late father had two friends he considered close, and Uncle Ismail was one of them. They were childhood friends, both living in Kampong Soopoo (off Kallang Road) where they grew up from the 1930’s to 1950’s, before we moved to Kampong Bedok and he to Siglap. Later on we would move to Marine Parade and he to Bedok South respectively. The thing about close friendships is that any pause in seeing each other is just a comma in a sentence, continuing in tone and vibe whenever they had the chance to meet. Anyone can simply watch them both interacting like it was a continued conversation. Our father listed Uncle Ismail as one of his references whenever he needed to fill in any forms, and sending and receiving greeting cards were the norm in those days.  Hari Raya visits were especially nice with the lontongs for us to devour and in the many years of friendship, our extended families and his became as close. His last card to us was in 1992 and sadly Uncle Ismail passed on in 1993, with our dad following just two years ago in 2023. Even as they both now rest, they are not far from each other at the Choa Chu Kang cemetery complex. Uncle Ismail bin Hussain, it was an honour to visit your final resting place recently and pay our deepest respect to you. We just want to say thank you for choosing our father as your close friend. Through the both of you we learnt that we can share in our similarities while celebrating our differences - an example we have emulated into our own lives and relationships.

1948 - Uncle Ismail at Kampong Soopoo

1977 - Hari Raya visit from our family to his. Dad is taking the photo.

1963 - Our father listing Uncle Ismail as a personal character referee

1992 - Uncle Ismail's final greeting card to our father

May 2025 - A visit to pay respects to Uncle Ismail in his final resting place at Choa Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery, made possible only through an entry indicating its location found in our father's diary recently