Obituary of Sharadkumar Jaganji Patel

Sharadkumar Jaganji Patel was a great man, a giant of a man for the impact he made but a gentle giant.

He came from a rural village in India and used his intelligence, drive, and grit to make a better life not just for himself but so much of his family and the community. In just one generation he fulfilled the American dream. He worked for decades as a mechanical engineer, working on such projects as the NY City Subway, the NJ Transit system, and the mass transit systems of Taiwan and London to name just a few. Outside of his success at work, he’s known for building from the ground up, a non-profit organization called Valsad Patel Samaj and serving as its first president. It helps newly immigrated members adapt, provides scholarships to young students, hold social events to celebrate both Indian and American holidays, and holds fundraising events to help the broader community. In October 2016, Sharad received Distinguished Community Service award from the Valsad Patel Samaj Executive Committee in acknowledgement of his commitment to serving others. The Samaj has grown to several hundred members strong and has become a supporting fixture of the community.

A devoted husband, a loving father, a doting grandfather, a caring sibling/cousin/uncle, and a trustworthy friend - Sharad will be remembered most of all for his love and kindness.

He barely spoke of his struggles coming to study in a new country as a young man although he must have faced many obstacles. Instead, he spoke mostly about how grateful he was for the opportunity to be here.

And he never forgot where he came from either. He helped numerous relations back in India, he helped family members come to the US and make lives for their own families here. He was always thinking of others. He built so many amazing friendships through his years - finding friends all over the world in faraway places. 

Throughout all his adventures he had his other half - his wife Smita whom he loved so much. We are comforted to know that he’s at peace now that they are together again.