Harminder Singh

Harminder Singh was born on July 10 1942 in Sargodha, his family’s ancestral home in British-occupied India, to Dr. Joginder Singh and Sardarni Sushil Kaur. Following the independence and partition of India, the family moved to several locations within Indian Punjab before settling in Patiala, where Harminder spent his formative childhood. Though he sometimes dreamed of becoming an air force pilot, Harminder was fascinated with and exceptionally skilled at figuring out how things are built and made. He followed this passion at the Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology in Patiala before earning his Master’s degree from the University of Toronto. Harminder then set his sights on building a life in the United States, the country he had long admired for its meritocracy and opportunity.

He was married in 1971 to Malvinder Kaur, the daughter of Sarup Singh Kalha and Sardarni Deep Kaur. At the time, Malvinder was in the process of applying for a position within the Indian Administrative Service (India’s civil service) and living at her family home in Chandigarh. Malvinder joined Harminder and moved into their first home together in Rochester, New York. In their early years together, the young couple appeared to seek out the coldest possible winters, moving from Rochester to New Jersey to Chicago. They were blessed with two sons: Sandeep was born in August 1973 and Daleep followed a couple years later in March 1976. From then on, these two boys were Harminder’s pride and joy, and the family eventually settled in Raleigh.

Among the highlights of his professional life were the years he spent as an electrical engineer at the hub of American innovation, Bell Labs, during its heyday in the 1960s. He recalled fondly the experience of contributing to the pathbreaking work at Bell Labs that laid the foundation for today’s digital age. Harminder went on to work on systems design for several prominent technology firms that built the modern communications infrastructure.

A second round of blessings kicked off in 2003 with the birth of his first grandchild, Samaya, born to Sandeep and his wife Jaya. Providentially, Samaya arrived soon after Harminder’s retirement, allowing him to open “Dadu daycare” during her early years. She was followed by Jaden, son of Daleep and his wife Rebecca, in 2004. Next came Shiv (2006), Jasmine (2006), Theodore (2008), and Kahven (2009). These six grandchildren provided immense joy to Harminder. Similarly with his two sons, he basked in their achievements, fretted over their setbacks, delighted in their growth as individuals, and eagerly awaited gathering the entire family, even when the kids were loud and disruptive!

Throughout his life, Harminder relished travel and adventure. He took his family on long roadtrips across his new homeland, including Yellowstone and Teton National Parks, Hawaii, Niagra Falls, the California coast, and all parts of Florida. Once he and Malvinder were less constrained by family responsibilities, they set off on more far-flung adventures, traveling to Zion and Bryce National Parks in Utah, Antarctica, Greece, Russia, and half a dozen river cruises across Europe.

When Harminder and Malvinder arrived in Raleigh in 1982, their first act (even before unpacking all of their boxes!) was to pickup the phone book and introduce themselves to potential friends with kids. Across more than forty years, these same families – and many more - became extended family. These couples raised their children together as a community, rearing them in the same family values of respect, hard work, service, and dignity for all. They discovered the joys of being grandparents together. They cared for each other in sickness and in health, just as their families in India would have done.

Harminder Singh was an honest man who knew what he liked and was quick to tell you so. His great loves were plastered on the walls of his home in photographs of his family and natural beauty, and in his sunroom with a growing collection of plants and flowers. He raised bright geraniums, huge tropical hibiscuses, orchids, cacti, and a delectable array of vegetables (until the deer figured out how to climb the back porch).

Another love, less overtly displayed, was for his adopted country. He loved the idea of being free to invent his own story and being treated an equal to everyone else. It was perfectly fitting that his first grandchild, Samaya, was born on the fourth of July, and that his son is now U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor at the White House. By any measure, Harminder lived the American dream, arriving on these shores with excitement and ambition, and leaving behind so very much. We are heartbroken by his loss and will miss him dearly.

FUNERAL SERVICE & LOGISTICAL DETAILS

Date: Saturday, December 7th at 11:30 am

Location: Sikh Gurudwara of North Carolina, 3214 Banner Street, Durham NC 27704

*Tea and snacks will be served upon arrival, followed by langar (lunch) after prayers and speeches.

*For those joining us from out of town, we have reserved a discounted block of rooms at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in Brier Creek (group name: Singh family) and Siena in Chapel Hill (group name: Singh family).

*Should you choose - instead of flowers or another offering, the family would prefer your making a contribution to the National Audubon Society.

Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's St., Raleigh, is serving the Singh family.