Elaine Kaparaboyna Kumar

The first of three children born to Elizabeth Davies Gould and James Henry Gould, she was born January 30, 1961 in Manchester, England. She enjoyed a happy childhood with her parents, siblings, grandparents, and large extended family. She grew up to be a nurse who was adored by her patients and colleagues alike. She always went the extra mile and was passionate about paying close attention to her patient’s needs.

She was introduced through her sister and brother-in-law to the love of her life, Ashok Kumar, who was then a physician in training. After marrying in 1988, they had their first child, Priya, and then moved to Tyler, Texas where she continued to practice nursing and gave birth to their second child, Nikhil. They moved to Hugo, Oklahoma in 1994 where she became practice manager for Ashok’s busy medical practice. They moved back to Tyler in 1997 before moving to San Antonio in 2005 when Ashok joined the Family and Community Medicine Department at UT Health San Antonio.

Elaine’s life revolved around her family. She retired from nursing to be a full-time mother and provided a beautiful home which was a welcoming place for all. She was an amazing chef, mastering both Indian and British cuisine. She routinely hosted gatherings and was a social rock for her community. She was an avid reader and supported her children’s interests, passing on her love of scholarship, stories, and music. Elaine also volunteered in multiple school programs including reading to children and organizing a recorder music ensemble. She loved travel, history, and learning about the world. She took her family and friends to visit many destinations in the United States, her homeland the United Kingdom, and many other countries. She loved appreciating nature, particularly mountains and rugged coastlines.

Informed by her Christian upbringing, Elaine’s spirituality focused on a personal relationship with the Divine, peaceful coexistence, and celebrating shared humanity and connection. She respected and cherished animals, lovingly caring for many pets in her life. She was quick to drop everything and help someone in need with her gentle and loving nature. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her.Elaine is survived by her loving husband, K. Ashok Kumar; her children Priya Elizabeth Kumar and Nikhil James Kumar; her sister Susan Booth and her husband Brian; her brother David Gould and his wife Justine; her brothers-in-law Vijay and his wife Lakshmi, Hemanth and his wife Sangeeta, and Kishore and his wife Anita; and sister-in-law Anita and her husband Shyam Rao; as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends. She is preceded in death by her parents, James and Elizabeth Gould.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the San Antonio Humane Society.https://sahumane.org