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VRAJBIHARIROY (ROY) PANDYA
Born: Mar 29, 1929
Date of Passing: Jan 17, 2024
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryVRAJBIHARIROY (ROY) PANDYA
Peacefully on January 17, 2024, Vrajbihariroy (Roy) Pandya, our beloved patriarch, father, grandfather and great-grandfather passed away at the age of 94 with family by his side.
Vrajbihariroy was born in Sagana, Kenya on March 29, 1929. He was the son of Shantilal Pandya and Savitagauri Vyas and lived in Kenya, India, and Canada. He lived a long, healthy and happy life and was able to enjoy watching three generations of his family flourish.
At the age of five, Dad went to Surat, India to attend Gurukul Boarding School. As a young adult he was actively involved in the struggle for India’s Independence and at one of the many rallies he attended he was fortunate enough to meet and put a garland around Mahatma Gandhi.
Our father and mother, Annapurna celebrated 73 years of marriage until her passing in 2020.
After their wedding in India, they lived in Kenya where they helped raise Dad’s younger siblings and later their own six children. Dad was a proud, devoted and caring father who ensured that each of us were happily settled and successful. His life motto was, “Be Happy, Healthy and Keep Smiling!”
Dad briefly worked for the East African Railways and then embarked on his entrepreneurial journey as a partner in Pathak Sweet Mart and Espresso Coffee House. In 1967, Dad moved to Canada and the family including his father settled in Saskatoon where they bought Paris Cafe Restaurant. They later opened Roy’s Grocery Store where Indian groceries were available for the growing South Asian community.
In 1974, our father moved his family to Thompson, Manitoba where he worked at INCO for several years until he retired and moved to Winnipeg. Dad was involved with numerous organizations including Padam Bhartiya Cultural Club, Lions Club, Thompson Heritage Museum and the Multicultural Center to name a few. The Mayor of Thompson stated upon hearing of his passing that Dad was one of the founding fathers of the City and had a passion to make Thompson a better place for everyone. Our father was awarded multiple honours in Thompson including the Melvin Jones Fellow award from Lions International.
Our father was a strong community and spiritual minded leader. He was one of the founders of the Shiv Mandir in Kisumu as well as the Saskatoon Shri Laxmi Narayan Temple and left a beautiful legacy where one can witness his vision of helping people to this day. He was involved in organizing and coordinating a monthly gathering of East Indian people of all faiths in Thompson.
Our father will sadly be missed dearly by his children, Jyotsna (Larry) Custead, Purnima (Michael) Lindsay, Shailesh (Daksha) Pandya, Kamalesh (Yogini) Pandya, Hasmita (Mitesh) Trivedi, Manisha (Naishad) Vyas; his grandchildren, Savita (Oliver), Nijel (Kelly), Anil, Anand (Nandita), Amar (Sonali), Prakash, Tejas, Sonal (Jasdeep), Shivani, Priyanka, Karisma; and great-grandchildren, Neena, Jasper, Thomas, Jiya and Kiara who adored, cherished and loved him dearly. Also in grief are his numerous relatives and friends all over Canada, India, England, Kenya and around the world.
Funeral Services will be held on Sunday, January 21, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. (CST) with livestream service:
https://funeraweb.tv/en/diffusions/85167 and tribute available through Thomson in the Park link.
Following the service there will be a Shanti Path at 4:00 p.m. at the Hindu Temple and Dr. Raj Pandey Hindu Center, 999 St Anne's Road, Winnipeg
In lieu of flowers, donations in the memory of our dear Dad may be made to the Hindu Society of Manitoba or a charity of your choice.
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 20, 2024, Jan 20, 2024
Condolences & Memories (3 entries)
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Jai Shree Krishna. Our deepest condolences to the Pandya family, upon the passing away of our beloved Vrijbiharibhai (Roy). Our thoughts and prayers are with you all as you deal with this great loss in your lives. I (Girish) first met Roy, Annapurnabhabhi, Shantilaldada and family in the summer of 1970 when I came to Saskatoon for my post graduate studies. My only prior connection to the family was that we shared our origins from the same ancestral village of Alindra (near Vaso) in India. The Pandya family was instrumental in helping me adjust to life in Saskatoon. Over the four years of my stay in Saskatoon, they gave me moral support, guidance and encouragement. They gave me place to call home. On many weekends I was invited to their home for a meal. Roy and Annapurnabhabhi introduced me to many families, some of whom also have become my lifelong friends. Roy and Annaprunabhabhi were an inseparable team, be it at work or at being welcoming hosts for all those who crossed their paths. The Pandya home was a happy, lively, bustling household with 6 young children. Yet no one, be it local friends or out of town clients buying Indian groceries at their store, left without refreshments or dinner at their home. Roy was a decent, honest, hard working person. He always had a warm welcoming smile and an easy going, calm personality. He was a devoted husband, father, brother and friend. He helped so many of his family to immigrate and successfully settle in Canada. I will especially cherish the memories of my early days in Saskatoon when on many Saturday nights we would watch the late night National news together, and after having some tea/chai he would drop me off to my place. I am grateful to Roy and Annapurnabhabhi for being there for me when I first came to Canada, and for welcoming me into the Pandya family. Roy’s was a life was well lived. We all will miss Roy’s physical presence, but he has truly left us a wonderful legacy to cherish and to remember him by. Our prayers for Roy’s Aatma (soul) to rest in peace in God’s abode in Heaven, and for the Pandya family to have the strength to deal with their deep sorrow on the loss of Roy. Aum Shanti, Shanti, Shanti. Girish and Kalpana Patel - Posted by: Girish Patel (family friend) on: Jan 20, 2024
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My deepest sympathies to the family. While I never met Mr. Pandya, I saw the love Purnima had for her Dad. He sounds like he was such a good person. He will be missed. - Posted by: Suzanne McInnes (Friend of Purnima) on: Jan 20, 2024
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Came to know Sri Roy Pandya soon after we immigrated from Kenya to Saskatoon. We were introduced to him by Girish Patel and met him at the Grocery Store they were managing. He was kind hearted and friendly person and ready help. We have fond memories of visits to his home in Saskatoon. Prey to God to rest his soul in peace and give strength to his loving families to cope with the loss. - Posted by: Surendra and Nila Patel (Friends) on: Jan 20, 2024
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