Surinderjit Singh

Surinderjit Singh, 78, of Augusta, Georgia, passed away suddenly in the early hours of November 13, 2025. Born on October 30, 1947, in Ranchi, Jharkhand, India, he was the beloved son of Sardarni Raminder Kaur and Sardar Harbans Singh. Surinderjit’s life was defined by his dedication to education, family, and community. He earned his Bachelor of Science from Durg College and his Master’s degree in Physics from Ravishankar University in Raipur, India. He began his career teaching physics in India before immigrating to Toronto, Canada, on December 22, 1970. There, he worked alongside relatives running a Dairy Queen before beginning his engineering career at Caterpillar, followed by Pilkington Glass, and later Ontario Hydro. In 1975, Surinderjit married the love of his life, Balvinder Kaur, after being captivated by her beautiful smile. Together, they built a life filled with love and adventure, raising three children. The family’s journey took them from Toronto to Oshawa, then to Houston in 1985, and finally to Augusta, Georgia, in 1987, where they welcomed their youngest daughter in 1989.

Surinderjit was an entrepreneur at heart. He built the Columbia County Car Care Center on Washington Road, where he owned and operated Express Brakes & Mufflers and the second branded Texaco Express Lube location. He later expanded to additional oil change centers, a tire store, and even ventured into the travel agency business. Eventually, Surinderjit and his brother entered the hotel industry, building a significant footprint in the Augusta area. Leveraging that experience, he launched a construction business, developing hotels and other properties until his semi-retirement in 2023 to pursue smaller ventures.

Beyond his professional success, Surinderjit’s true passion was serving his religious community. He played a pivotal role in establishing the first Gurudwara in Augusta in 1988 and later helped build the Guru Singh Sabha in Evans, Georgia, alongside his brother in 1995. He was instrumental in organizing the Sikh community’s participation in the historic march in Washington, D.C., in April 1999, where over 40,000 Sikhs celebrated the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa Panth. His contributions included organizing Sikh youth camps, leading interfaith initiatives in Columbia County, and promoting awareness of Sikhism—especially after 9/11. Surinderjit served as secretary of the Gurudwara for many years and was known for welcoming newcomers, helping families settle, find jobs, and start businesses. He also volunteered as chairman of the Columbia County Visitor’s Bureau, further strengthening ties between the Sikh and local communities.

Known for his long speeches, warm hospitality, humor, and unwavering generosity, Surinderjit never met a stranger. He was a mentor, a problem-solver, and an engineer by trade who enjoyed attempting repairs—both mechanical and relational—bringing people together and healing divides. He enjoyed traveling, but above all, he cherished his role as a devoted husband, father, and grandfather.

Surinderjit is survived by his loving wife, Balvinder Kaur; his brother, Harinderjit Singh; his children Pawanjit, Harpreet, and Karanpreet, along with their spouses Jasmine, Greg, and Devon; and his adored grandchildren Saiba, Noor, and Dilan. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Guru Singh Sabha of Augusta in Evans, Georgia, honoring Surinderjit’s lifelong commitment to faith and community.