Vaijayanti P. Dunung

August 6, 1941 to February 19, 2023

Des Plaines, Il – Vaijayanti P. Dunung, 81, died peacefully on Sunday, February 19th, 2023 at her Des Plaines home.

She leaves behind: her daughter, Sanjyot P. Dunung; three grandsons, Shanth, Yash, and Anand; and extended beloved family and friends.

Born on August 6, 1941 in Kini, India to Motilal and Ratanbhai Shah, Vaiju was the eldest of seven children.

Heading to Grant Medical College, she met the love of her life, Prafulla V. Dunung -- her Raj. In 1962, they married in Mumbai, India, and in 1965 they both gradually moved to Liverpool, England to pursue their advanced educations.

In 1971, Vaiju and Prafulla moved to Des Plaines, Illinois, where they settled into the town that they would become their beloved home for the rest of their lives.

Vaiju worked for several years in the pharmaceutical industry, received her Physician’s Assistant certification, and worked as a healthcare practioner in the substance abuse for more than fifteen years. Working in the healthcare industry, Vaiju was deeply passionate about providing medical care to recovering drug addicts.

Vaiju continued to tirelessly work to improve the lives of all of those around her, whether it be family members, friends, or recovering patients in need of support.

However she was dealt a new challenge in the late 1970s as her disease, inclusion body myositis, showed early signs. It forced her to gradually adapt to new circumstances. Yet she persevered forward, staying active and enthusiastic.

Aside from the chronological path of her life, Vaiju is remembered for her tenacity and determination – with a strong sense of hard work, discipline and structure.

When fate intervened yet again in the late 1980s and she could no longer work as a physician’s assistant in downtown Chicago, she became committed to service, volunteering regularly at Lutheran General Hospital, neighborhood nursing homes, and the older adult day care on Potter Road in Des Plaines.

Vaiju was determined that her disease would not define her life – and she sought every way possible to keep helping people, especially those who needed her. Despite the physical drain of her disease, her cheery determination helped her persevere against some very difficult odds.

Vaiju and Prafulla sponsored a brick at the Des Plaines Public Library and at the Clinton Library in Little Rock, Arkansas. Vaiju and Prafulla were founding members of the Indo-American Cultural Center in Chicago.

Vaiju touched many lives in the ways she could, with her words, actions, and heart. She hoped to live a meaningful and useful life – and for the many people who have been touched by her – she did.

Hers was a life well lived. She was a most beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend to many. We will miss her deeply.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to her favorite charitable organizations, including:

AgeOptions. Checks can be sent to 1048 Lake St., Suite 300, Oak Park, IL 60301 or donations made via PayPal on AgeOptions site, https://www.ageoptions.org/donations/ (In the donate options for PayPal, you can choose the option from the drop-down menu, and click "In Honor of," and notate Vaiju Dunung's name in the notes section.)

Myositis Association. Ways to Give - The Myositis Association https://www.myositis.org/get-involved/ways-give/

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