Doreen Claudette Welihindha, 66, died January 27th in Bentonville, Arkansas after a long battle with endometrial cancer. Her funeral service will be held on Monday, January 31st at 9:30 am at Hunt Chapel in Rogers, Arkansas followed by internment at Pinnacle Memorial Gardens in Rogers, Arkansas.

Doreen was born on May 18th, 1955 in Wattala, Sri Lanka to Hector and Thelma Sansoni. The sixth of seven children, Doreen found her happy place as a community builder and peace maker. In April 1979 Doreen married Vasanta Welihindha and began a life of travel and adventure, living in Sri Lanka, Oman, the UAE, and most recently the USA. A devout Christian, she was a member of the Anglican and Episcopal churches in every country in which she lived, including All Saints' Episcopal Church in Bentonville.

Doreen was an avid gardener and enjoyed tending to her vegetable plot in Bentonville, where she and Vasanta settled down for retirement. Her rambunctious grandchildren brought her immense joy, and her optimism and laugh were contagious to everyone she met.

She is survived by her loving husband, Vasanta; 3 children, Angelo, Shehan, and Tanya; 6 grandchildren, Sophie, Axel, Alexander, Jax, Zoë, and Scarlett; mother, Thelma Sansoni; siblings, May Meynert, Merville Sansoni, Jennifer Perera, and Patricia Dawn Hamid. We hope for Doreen to unite in spirit with her deceased father Hector Sansoni and deceased siblings Frederick Sansoni and Adeline James.

Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. followed by a funeral at 10 a.m. Monday, January 31, at the Hunt Chapel with Mother Sara Milford officiating. Interment will follow at Pinnacle Memorial Gardens .

The live-stream of the funeral may be viewed here .