Hardip Singh

In 1947, the partition would force his family—Hardip, his elder brother, their younger brother, their father, and their mother, 8-months pregnant at the time—to abandon their worldly possessions and family compound in the village of Amar Sidhu and sever them from their religious birthplace. Part of the mass exodus, they migrated on foot during monsoon rains from present-day Lahore, Pakistan to Amritsar in Punjab, India.

The first in his family to attend university, Hardip often recounted waking before sunrise, studying by the light of a kerosene lamp, and milking the buffalos before riding his bike to school each morning. He graduated from Khalsa College Amritsar and became the first in his family to immigrate to the United States, arriving in New York City in 1969 to the tunes of “Hey, Jude” and “Let it Be” playing in heavy rotation on the radio. He soon made his way by bus to another Manhattan—Manhattan, Kansas, where he established his roots in the U.S.

In 1970, his first wife Harminder Kaur and their three young daughters joined him in Kansas. He briefly returned to New York to work in Manhattan, but Kansas suited his disposition and desires far more than life in the big city. So he moved the family to Kansas City and began a job with Sunshine Biscuits.

In Kansas City, where Hardip was a founding member of the Midwest Sikh Association, their fourth daughter was born and he and Harminder became citizens. When asked whether he had sons, he would proudly reply, “My daughters are both—sons and daughters, my everything.” Over the years to come, he also embraced our spouses as his sons.

Over his 50 years as a full-fledged American, he sponsored numerous brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews, helping them become citizens, further their educations, and gain their professional footings. He was a trailblazer—the igniting spark for countless opportunities and pathways his loved ones took to achieve prosperity—and he was a deeply loving force and father figure to them all.

A born traveler, he put down roots in many places. His long career with the U.S. Department of Agriculture took him first to Baton Rouge, LA, then Wilmington, DE, and Centreville, VA, where he transitioned to a position with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Upon his retirement in 2006, he relocated to Cary, NC, and, later, to Morrisville.

They say a rolling stone gathers no moss. But for Hardip, this could not be further from the truth. In each place he called home, he quickly and easily cultivated friendships. Whether it was a British woman in her VW Beetle halting to a stop on the side of the road and calling out, “Mr. Singh, where are you going?” before telling him to, “Squeeze in!” or the Punjabi families he met by making cold calls after flipping through the local telephone book searching out the name “Singh,” he never left a homeplace without first forging lifelong friendships, and stories to match.

During his 43-year marriage to Harminder, he devoted the last nine years to caring for her after a debilitating stroke. Before she passed, she commanded him to find someone—to not stay alone.

In 2007, Hardip travelled to India and wed his second wife, Daljit Kaur. His loving companion for 18 years, she helped renew his sense of purpose, rebuild a lively social calendar, and restore his well of laughter and joy.

When he was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer, his determination and unwavering faith enabled him to long outlive a grim prognosis. Each of his four daughters and four sons-in-law, and two of his grandchildren, had the gift and honor of helping care for him during those months. On the afternoon of July 3, Daljit sat by his side and dripped Amrit water into his mouth, and he released his last breath.

He knew his family cherished him, and we knew he loved us fully. While he has reached his ultimate destination, we know his spirit remains close. We are grateful he is no longer suffering, but we will miss his generous heart and unmatched presence in this world.

Hun poora hogayia. The circle of his life is complete.

Hardip is survived by his wife Daljit Kaur Singh of Morrisville, NC; daughters and sons-in-law: Kanwalpreet “Preet” and Devinder Bawa of Potomac, MD, Manmeet and Max Fox of Silver Spring, MD, Gundeep and Jeff Roussel of Palmdale, CA, and Herpreet Singh and Chris Simon of Atlanta, GA; grandchildren: Gursharan, Ranjit, Jasleen (Jaspreet), and Beyant Bawa, Uma and Simon Fox, and Desmond and Lakshmi Simon. He is also survived by three brothers and two sisters. He is predeceased by his first wife, Harminder Kaur (Jaura) Singh, his eldest grandchild, Sean Singh Aranipour, his eldest brother and youngest brother, and beloved parents.

Antim Ardas will take place Saturday, July 12 at The Sikh Gurdwara of North Carolina, followed by langar (3214 East Banner Street, Durham, NC). All are welcome. Prior to the Ardas, per Hardip’s express wishes, a private family funeral was held on Thursday, July 10 at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home in Raleigh, NC. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to so local Gurdwara, American Cancer Society, or charity of your choice.

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