James R. Vevaina

Born in Mumbai, India, on May 2, 1944, Jim was the second of three children to Rustom and Goolcheher. He was a devoted father to Zena, Brittney, and Loren Vevaina. He was a dear brother to Feroze and Cyrus Vevaina. As a Parsi Zoroastrian, he lived by the guiding principles of good thoughts, good words, and good deeds — which he later expanded to include good songs, good dance, and good travel.

Inspired by his father’s career as a doctor on India’s railways, Jim developed a natural interest in medicine and a desire to help others. After graduating from Grant Medical College in Mumbai, Jim set his sights on the United States and immigrated there in 1970 to pursue further medical training. He completed his residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and went on to practice pulmonology and internal medicine for more than 45 years. In 1990, seeking warmer weather and new opportunities, Jim moved west and made San Diego home — a place he fondly extolled as deserving its title of “America’s Finest City”. He was also a published author, writing about the legal aspects of medicine and, later in life, romance and relationships.

A lifelong learner with a passion for travel, Jim lived a life full of spontaneity and adventure. He most often traveled with his three beloved daughters — Zena, Brittney, and Loren — sharing in the joy of exploring new places together, from Massachusetts to Alaska, India to France, Kenya to Japan. Jim’s heart was fullest when surrounded by family — sharing stories, music, and laughter.

Of all his passions, Jim loved nothing more than music and dance. Extremely fond of classical music, Jim could most often be found at the bench of his favorite piano, practicing for hours on end. He was easily moved by a beautiful song. Beyond the piano, Jim was also an avid guitarist and harmonica player, playing his favorite songs on repeat like La Vie en rose, Autumn Leaves, and anything by Chopin.

Always eager to learn and share, Jim taught harmonica lessons at a local community college. He proudly enjoyed performing with the Palomar Jazz Band and with his neighbors in the Auberge community. In recent years, he discovered ballroom dancing, which brought him great joy and new friendships, resulting in hundreds of videos of performances being emailed to his family and friends. Jim exemplified through his life that it was never too late to learn something new.

Anyone who knew Jim was touched by his adventurous spirit and enthusiasm for life, which will live on in his three daughters and all those fortunate enough to have known him.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim’s memory may be made to Light of Life Charity to support children and low-income communities in rural India or to The San Diego Youth Symphony to support young musicians across San Diego County.