Sharad Patel's Eulogy Our father enjoyed simple things. He was born Sharadchandra Ambalal Patel in a small village called Uttarsanda, Gujurat, India to Ambalal and Kashi Patel. Having two elder brothers, Chitaranjan and Raman, he was brought up in Ahmedabad under his mother's strict discipline and his father's sense of humor, both of which served him well in the coming years. One of his favorite memories was growing up as в??brothers' with the family to whom his Dad dedicated his working years. Having the honor of playing in the courtyard of a mansion, hearing a private recital of Ravi Shankar and eating on pure silver tali's served by 100 servants, one would think he would have developed an over-sized ego, but just the opposite happened. He preferred simplicity and valued friendships for a lifetime. During his six-year stay at Banaras Hindu University, he was exposed to much more than academics, including thinking that shaped his actions and friendships that lasted the rest of his life. He then came to the United States for graduate work at Brooklin Polytechnic, where he obtained his masters, doctorate and stayed to teach, progressing to full professorship. He was an outstanding student, and displayed discipline and dedication for all his studies. In 1949, Daddy came to the US, settled in New York City and became a true New Yorker and US citizen. As a professor, he earned the respect of thousands of students. Mark was the only one of us who was actually brave enough to take a course with him. We've only heard some of the stories, the ones he decided to share, of what happened in that Poly office. Besides the hard work, which prepared him to walk into every lecture he gave with nothing but a piece of chalk (no notes), he had fun, and taught his friends how to have fun. Once he told a small group of friends that he was to be married on April 1st. He did a great job because they appeared dressed in their Sunday best and carrying gifts, only to find they truly had been fooled. Somehow, he convinced them to come to Columbus, Ohio to his real wedding to Betty Penn. Our mother, Betty, often said that Dad didn't show his love in a superficial, romantic way but, "his actions speak so loudly that I can't even hear what he's saying." Their marriage of over 50 years was blessed with three children. Daddy was a devout husband and a dedicated father. Betty and Sharad combined their complimentary personalities and cultures to create a strong family unit with common values and goals. They truly appreciated each others differences and shared their big hearts to open their home to countless visitors of all walks of life. They sponsored several friends from India to come to this country and did whatever it took to help them along the way. People came to them for advice on parenting, marriage and life. They built their own mansion with a welcoming, revolving door of people from all continents. Daddy had an impressive sense of duty which gave him the energy to care for so many people. He cared for our Mom during her many medical adventures and dealt with his own problems with в??stoic humor.' In the home, he did most of the cooking and was quite the chef barring the spaghetti and fishball experiment. He provided private tutoring at the drop of a hat for all of our college experiences, but not without a fee. Patience was required on our part. "Show me how to get the answer," seemed to inspire a proof of how you could derive the necessary formula from F=ma. Not only that, if he did calculate the requested answer, he would then keep the paper and make us start with a blank sheet. He was an extremely effective teacher. Even though Daddy was born and raised in India, he adopted a universal approach to culture and religion. Often in India, the servants are denied more expensive foods, and many of them steal. But Daddy would cut the ripest mango and give the first pieces to the servants so they would feel appreciated. Our parents lived as equals, breaking his cultural tradition. Plus, he served her coffee in bed every school morning. Daddy led a steadfast life and provided stability for his family in addition to a sense of worth for each of us. He treated everyone with empathy and love. He was accepting and wise. He was the perfect example of how to live 90 years and not mess it up! That is, he hadn't created a bad relation with a single person, and he treasured his friends deeply and long-term. In fact, he went to visit some of his elementary school and college friends just last year! Mommy always said, "Wherever Sharad goes, I'm happy there." So now, they will complete each other again, in a unique, peaceful way. He is survived by his three children: Anand Paul (Chek NG) Patel of Albany, NY, Mark(Christine) Patel of Cincinnati, OH, Mary Pratima of New York and в??adopted' daughter Manjula of India.; grandchildren, Tyrone, Serena and Sean. Sharad Patel continues to be a wonderful teacher by the many examples of his quiet kindness. We are proud that Daddy inspired people to work hard, have hope, do the right thing and have fun. As a father, he taught us three kids how to savor life's blessings with humility and to accept life's challenges with humor. For that, we are eternally grateful.. Cemetery Details Spring Grove Cemetery 4521 Spring Grove Cemetery Cincinnati, OH 45232 Visitation

MAY 13. 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM (ET)

Renfro Funeral Services, Inc.

647 Forest Ave

Cincinnati, OH 45229

[email protected]

https://www.renfrofuneralservice.com

Service

MAY 13. 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM (ET)

Renfro Funeral Services, Inc.

647 Forest Ave

Cincinnati, OH 45229

[email protected]

https://www.renfrofuneralservice.com