Parkash Kaur Tiwana

Parkash Kaur Tiwana was born on July 16, 1952 in Naushera Dhalla, Punjab, India to Kartar Singh and Mohinder Kaur Sandhu. She was the eldest of three children.

She grew up in Tarn Taran, Punjab and enjoyed knitting, watching Hindi films, and being with her best friends–her brother Dharmpal and sister Kinder. Her Thayaji, Piara Singh Sandhu helped raise her to become a smart, hard working, and devout Sikh.

Parkash attended Khalsa College in Amritsar Punjab and received her Bachelor of Arts degree. She met Gurdip Singh Tiwana, a lawyer, and the two soon married on March 16, 1975 in a small ceremony. Their family began to grow, and they soon had two beautiful daughters, Rupinder and Anureet. They emigrated to the United States in 1978, close to Gurdip’s family in Yuba City, California. They worked in agriculture before moving to San Jose, California. It is here that their youngest son, Raju was born.

After working several jobs, Gurdip found employment in the Valley Transportation Agency (VTA), where he would work until retirement. Parkash was a homemaker, caring for their children and home. In 1989, the family moved to Modesto, California.

As the children got older, Parkash began working at Haeger Engineering in 1993, making circuit boards. She made wonderful lifelong friendships during her time there. Parkash retired in 2007 and began to pursue her passion for textiles. She enjoyed sewing, embroidery, knitting, and crotchet, and it brought her much satisfaction to see her creations enjoyed by her friends and family. Parkash was a lifelong learner, always challenging herself to try new techniques or push the limits of her creativity. She was a frequent visitor to Joann Fabrics where she would gather with her friends to learn and create.

Parkash enjoyed visiting her family back in India and would try to go every year. She would love her time with her family and visiting Gurdwaras. When she became a grandmother in 2012, she found a new passion in her grandchildren. It would bring her much joy to play with them, feed them, and make clothes for them.

Throughout their life together, Gurdip and Parkash enjoyed a beautiful and strong bond. The love that they felt in 1975 only grew with time, and they found immense joy in each other, in their children, and in their grandchildren. Parkash was the beating heart of her family, a true matriarch.

Parkash is survived by her husband, Gurdip Singh Tiwana, children Rupinder Kaur (Satpal) Bhatti, Anureet Kaur (Sondip) Johl, and Raju Singh (Rattan Preet) Tiwana, grandchildren Mahi Kaur Johl, Veera Kaur Johl, Munroop Kaur Bhatti, Rajan Singh Johl, Ekam Kaur Tiwana, Pavan Kaur Bhatti, Sahib Singh Tiwana, and Rasna Kaur Tiwana, and sister Kinder Kaur (Sandhu) Bhullar. She is preceded in death by her parents Kartar Singh and Mohinder Kaur (Kahlon) Sandhu, her Thaiyaji Piara Singh Sandhu, and her brother Dharmpal Singh Sandhu.

Parkash was devastated when she lost her mother in 2020. She missed her, her brother, her father, and her Thaiyaji terribly, and it brings the family peace to know they are once again reunited.

Parkash was a kind, humble, and loving person. She was a good woman who would not speak ill of anyone, focused on the wellbeing of her loved ones, and was a devout believer in God. She was loved and cherished by her family and friends, and their lives are better for having Parkash as a role model.

Parkash made the world a better place, just by being in it. Her legacy is the difference she made for Rupinder, Anureet, and Raju as well as for all those she loved.

We celebrate her life as we mourn her departure. Thank you everyone for the love and comfort you have shown to our family during this difficult time.

Services will be held Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 10:00am at Lakewood Funeral Home, 900 Santa Fe Avenue, Hughson, CA. Prayer services will follow at Gurdwara Sahib Ceres, 5743 East Hatch Road, Hughson, CA.