Last Journeys

by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

I had the opportunity to serve as Master of Ceremonies at two last journeys. I also spoke at the Memorial Service of selected alumni.

Htay Lwin Nyo

• Matriculated from St. Paul’s High School in 1968.
• Admitted to 1st BE as a Top student
• RIT Luyechun
• Graduated with EP in 1974

• M.Sc (Computer Science) from UCC

• Doctorate in EE from Syracuse University, New York, USA
• Last job : Part time Professor of Electrical Engineering at San Jose State University (SJSU), California
• Told his friends that he would retire to spend time on his interests (Movie Scripts, Video Games, Vintage Cars, Painting, Cooking, Cryptography). He was a Jack of All Trades & Master of Some.

Demise

• Passed away alone at his home
• Never missed a class. When he did not show up for a couple of classes, the students requested SJSU authorities to investigate. Finally, the Security team broke into his house & found his dead body.

• Dean of SJSU EE Department told her students to contact Htay Lwin Nyo’s relatives via Burmese in the San Francisco Bay Area. The sad news was received by members of BAPS & SF Bay Area Alumni Group.
• Khin Maung Zaw (EC76) set up the commemorative web pages on the first ex-RIT web site. He also contacted Kyaw Zwar Than (Jaws, UCC alumni, then in Canada).

Cremation, Ash Scattering, Soon Kwyay

• Burmese Community helped with the Last Journey
• I had the privilege to start the trigger for the incinerator
• My spouse & I joined Dr. Lyn Swe Aye & Dr. Khin Nyo Thet (GBNF) to scatter the ashes in Santa Cruz
• Soon Kwyay was offered at Tathagatha Meditation Center (TMC), San Jose.
• The sad saga is described in the BAPS Newsletter, RIT Newsletter & Updates, ex-RIT website and my website.

• KMZ wrote : He [HLN] was couple of years senior at SPHS, his younger brother Aung Lwin Nyo was my classmate off-and-on there, at times in different sections. HLN graduated from SPHS [Botataung (6)] the same year as Sein Tin/Johnny Ong. We were adversaries to folks at HLN’s batch (E 1974) at RIT, since we took over the Electrical Students’ Association in 1972, yeah! we were BAD BAD BAD to the bone. We became friends when we met again at UCC, we visited him in San Jose several times, stayed at his apartment couple of times, he was our guide to Yosemite National Park. He visited Seattle, we went all over BC/Canada. He told me in no uncertain terms, that he would not be a friend if and when I got married. He spent time honing his culinary skills, one time he told me he might open a restaurant, he showed his new culinary skills while we were at his place. He taught Chota/Dr. Rafiul his recipe of cooking Moh-Hinn-Ga using canned Sardines. That was in the early ’90s when most of us had our own different recipes. [There was a funny story on this episode of HLN’s Moh-Hinn-Gar story.] Couple of years before his demise, he stopped talking to me. After several calls in as many days, he told me I was the one spreading his death and caused his mother some anxiety. I asked him how he knew it was me, his response was “you are the only one who could say such thing”, my reputation was the culprit. Of course, he got chilled after I told him I would never do that to anyone, let alone to my friends. All I can say over the years is that I really miss him, as we always had colorfully conversations when we talked. Rest In Peace my friend…

Sayadaw U Silananda

Trailblazer

• Trail Blazer for the Burmese monks doing Dhamma Duta missions in the USA and beyond

• In 1989, per request of the devotees of Mahasi Sayadaw, U Silananda & U Kelasa were left behind in California. U Kelasa later moved to Maryland in the East Coast.

• Theravada Buddhist Society of America (TBSA) was established in the SF Bay Area to support Sayadaw U Silananda and resident monks of Dhammanda Vihara.
• The Vihara was first located in Daly City. It later moved to Half Moon Bay.
• Sayadaw wrote several books in Burmese & English. His first book was reprinted for his Diamond (75th) Birthday along with his Biography (full of achievements).

Memorial Service

• Sayadaw passed away on August 13, 2005. He was 78 years old.
• I was VP of TBSA, Editor of Dhammananda Newsletter & TBSA website. I served as Master of Ceremonies at the Memorial Service.
• 50+ Theravada monks from Burma, USA, and UK attended.
• Sayadaw was the First Rector of the International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University (ITBMU). Two Pro-Rectors — Sayadaw U Nanadamalabhivamsa (Academic) & Dr. Myint Kyi (Admin) — represented the University at Sayadaw’s last journey.

Scattering the Ashes

• I carried the box containing Sayadaw’s ashes.
• Saya U Myat Htoo (C68, President of TBSA) led the procession.
• The ashes were scattered from a yacht into the waters near Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
• Sayadaw’s last journey was recorded by photographers & videographers.

Paying Homage

• I served as Book Committee member & Contributing Editor for “Paying Homage to Saya U Silanananda”.

• The 2-set DVD of Saydaw’s last journey was provided as a supplement for the Commemorative book.

10th Anniversary

• The 10th Anniversary of Sayadaw’s demise was celebrated in August 2015 at Dhammananda Vihara.

Eulogy

I had the honor to say kind words about fallen alumni from the SF Bay Area

• Darren Lee (M62, GBNF) : He attended Alumni picnic a few months before his demise. He was a classmate of Saya Dr. Tin Win and U Aye (RU & BIT Volleyball).
• Henry Chee (U Myint Lwin, C63, GBNF) : He was an organizer for SPZP-2000. He was a vocalist at the Myanmar gatherings.

• John T Lee (U Tin Myint, M69, GBNF) : He represented RIT in Table Tennis. He was selected RIT Luyechun for 4th BE. His spouse Lyo (Mabel, T69) played Basketball. Their daughter (a medical doctor) requested me to share my memories.

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