On Monday, the 8th of July, 2024, Vallabhbhai (Val) Patel was reunited with the love of his life, Nirmala (Niru) Patel, whose everlasting love for each other will continue to prosper in the great beyond.

Val's life is a tapestry of both Indian and American threads woven together to create the harmonious life that he lived to the fullest. He was a man of great talents and achievements, since arriving to the United States via the Queen Mary from India a remarkable 60 yrs ago.

He was a man of great integrity, work ethic, loyalty, kindness, generosity, and love for all, which as many of you know was evident in his "I love you all" goodbyes.

His is a life filled with good deeds, such as sponsoring many family members from India, to come to our land of opportunity, where he and Niru, would provide shelter, food, guidance and give these family members wings to prosper on their own, while always being there to offer support throughout their journeys. He was affectionately referred to as the "Great Puba", the wise man many would seek out for life advice.

Beyond helping his family, his good deeds, extended to friends and strangers alike. This was most evident in the organization he and Niru helped create and were so proud of.  Mitra Mandal ("Circle of Friends"), was a community where other Indian immigrants could come and gather and celebrate their shared heritage and partake in cultural activities, social gatherings, while also providing a network of support for new members. Mitra Mandal is still thriving today, and will forever honor and respect Val's spirit and his desire for bringing people together in a safe and fun environment to share their customs and traditions.

Val was a well-educated man. He held a Bachelor and Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, which he parlayed into a successful 35-yr long executive career beginning with Ford Motor Company in Detroit, MI and ending at Digital Equipment Corporation/HP in Hudson, MA.

The town of Hudson, was also his home since 1971, where he raised his beloved family and formed many lifelong friendships. In 1989, Val built his dream home in Hudson, a place where many beautiful memories have been created with his three children (Smita, Anuj, and Falguni), five grandchildren (Asha, Nikhil, Maya, Sofia, and Devin), and countless extended family, and friends.

Val embraced all the Indian and American holidays, but especially loved Diwali and Christmas. Diwali for it's beautiful spectacle of lights and meaning that he grew up with and Christmas for all its magic that was part of his new roots. He loved decorating the house inside and out to make the home as festive as could be for the family. It probably looked like the Indian version of Christmas to most, but his family loved it just the same. It was just another way of his assimilating his children into his new home country, in what we now call the melting pot, known as America. Where like many, he came for opportunity and succeeded in achieving the American dream without ever forgetting where he came from.

Val was also a man of many passions. He was an avid photographer and videographer, who loved to capture all things living. Especially birds. Right up to his passing, he made sure his bird feeders were filled to the brim with seed and water, where they would come and gather daily, while he photographed them in vibrant color and share them in the family group text. He was also happy to be the resident photographer at any social event, and was the best photoshopper in town! He took great pride in making everyone look their best and capturing people's best memories on film.

Val was a techie too and a true engineer to the core. His latest project being his new Tesla Y, where he even installed a charger in his own garage just last Fall!

He was musically inclined where he mastered many instruments, including the clarinet, flute, and tabla.

Growing up the house was always full of music from him practicing.

Val and Niru traveled extensively and loved exploring new lands and of course taking pictures to share their experiences with everyone. They loved faraway places, but also treasured many local landmarks right here in New England. The Marginal Way in Ogunquit holds a special place in his heart, and is Niru's final resting place.

Val was also an avid sports fan. He loved all sports, especially our Boston teams. Watching the Boston Celtics becoming the current World Champions brought him so much joy in his final days.

More than anything Val would want to be remembered for his love of family.

He was the epitome of a 'family man'. Nothing gave him more joy than to see his children grow and prosper. He loved spending as much time with them as possible. He was lovingly referred to as "Pappy" by his grandchildren. He was proud of them all and with Niru will continue to watch over and root for them in all their future endeavors.

Val left behind a huge imprint that a few paragraphs cannot fully capture or do justice. The breadth of his legacy is carried in all the lives he touched around the World. He is forever remembered for his 55 year love story with Niru, and it gives comfort to all to know that he's in her arms again.

If you open your soul, you can hear Val's soft flute playing and Niru's joyous singing whispering in the eternal breeze.

Visitation will take place on Thursday, July 11, 2024, from 10-11am at the Carrier Family Funeral Home, 38 Range Road, Windham, NH 03087. A Funeral Service will follow immediately at 11am.

For directions or to leave a message of condolence, please visit www.carrierfuneralhome.com