Karanjit Lal Puri

Karanjit Puri died peacefully on October 5, 2022, in Orlando, Florida. A devoted and fun-loving husband, dad, uncle, brother, and friend. The titles he loved the most, were Nanu and Dada to his 8 grandchildren.

Karanjit, or Puri as many family members called him, was born on June 29, 1938. He was the son of Manohar Lal and Ram Pyari Puri. Karanjit had 7 siblings: Charanjit, Inderjit, Ashok, Vinod, Ravinder, Anish and Rani. He spent his early days in Amritsar, India where his dad was the manager of the Punjab National Bank. Karanjit married Parsanta Sehgal on November 21, 1964. Together they had 3 children: Rajnish, Dimple and Sonu. Their early years as a family were spent in Patiala, India where Puri owned and operated a scooter shop. Excellent customer service, which he learned from his father, made him very popular in his small business operations. In 1980, his life dramatically changed after his wife convinced him to move to Des Moines, IA, USA where they were embraced by Parsanta’s family and Puri quickly integrated into the local community. His jovial and outgoing personality made him a favorite server at a nearby Perkins restaurant, where he worked for many years. His customers became his friends. Puri loved to cook and experiment in the kitchen. He often would watch cooking shows for inspiration and the create new dishes to enjoy, whether for family gatherings or the potlucks at the local Hindu Temple in Des Moines. After much deliberation, Parsanta and Puri made the decision to uproot their home and move to Orlando, FL to be closer to two of their children. They quickly settled in Orlando and joined a local Temple.

His optimistic and friendly personality and his desire to make connections with people was contagious. He was the first to start a game of cards, laying out a big sheet on the floor to be used as a table, so all who wanted to join could do so. He wasn’t afraid to take your quarters either! You could find him outside either tending to his garden or using his handyman skills to fix whatever needed to be done, for anyone who needed it. He was always the first on the dance floor, with his arms stretched high into the air, dancing with pure joy and embarrassing his children. Family members from every generation have fun stories to share of the way he connected with each one of them. He was a gentle soul and a friend to all that knew him. His smile could light up any moment. Even in his last few days, from his hospital bed, he had the same cheerful smile. We are all comforted knowing he is smiling and dancing with his wife once again.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Parsanta; his parents and 3 brothers. He is survived by his children Raji (Jenny) of Orlando, FL; Dimple (Rajan) Kapoor of Orlando, FL; Sonu (Chad) Hansen of Des Moines, IA; his grandchildren Reetika Puri, Bryce Richardson, Andrew & Ayden Puri; Monica & Neal Kapoor; Alex & Ava Hansen; three brothers in Delhi, India and a sister in Bhopal, India; numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, and their children. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

A Shanti service will be held on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, at Maa Durga Sri Sai Baba Temple, 11414 S Apopka Vineland Road, Orlando, FL 32836. The service will begin at 6:30 PM with dinner to follow. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Sehgal Foundation, Transform Lives One School at a Time Program, at smsfoundation.org. To honor Karanjit Puri, donations will be used to build and support a school in India.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.woodlawnfuneralhomegotha.com for the Puri family.