Pappa's eulogy on July 27, 2014

Pappa had a very rich and fulfilling life. He did things people only talk about doing; and saw places we only dream about going. He taught us so many things, here are only a few examples:

He sacrificed his family and friends to fulfill a dream to come to the United States. He did it for a better life for his family. Without him, we would not be here. Who knows what kind of a life we would have had? The lesson for us is:  don't be afraid to follow your dreams, even if it means to make some sacrifices at the beginning.

Pappa had so many passions but none so powerful as his love for photography.
He begin it as young as the age of 9. Pappa was the best photographer around but he never stopped learning the trade. He kept learning as much as he could even to the age of 88. Pappa's lesson: follow your passion, whatever it may be, and give it 110%.

Friends and family were the most importance things to Pappa. He always wanted to make them happy. One of the ways he would do that was to travel with them to do fun things like camping, boating, and going on cruises. He knew the power in family bondage. He cherished and loved each person and made them feel important. Pappa's last request was for the family to stay together always. His final lesson to us: love your family and make them your priority. Stay together.

Pappa, we will miss you more than we can express. You have given us so much and taught us the secrets to a life. I hope I can be half of the person you were. Pappa, I love you so much and will miss you. We know you will also be here to protect us. Thank you for every thing.

Pappa, I love you so much and will miss you dearly!

This is a great honor to speak before you all but at the same time a daunting task to do justice for this wonderful man. This man was my grandfather and he was the greatest person I knew. This man was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who taught his family the importance of patience and sacrifice. He is simply referred to us as Pappa, which is the Indian terminology for father, and that is exactly what he was to all of us. 

Some of the greatest characteristics of my grandfather were that he was aspiring, ambitious, modest, humble, determined, strong-minded, loved learning.  These were just some of the greater qualities he had. His passion for learning new things was so inspirational.  He kept up with all the newest technologies. I remember he would spend countless hours on learning Adobe Photoshop. It was this passion that is inscribe within me.

The best thing that he has left behind for us is his example of living life to the fullest. He loved traveling the world and experiencing new things. With my grandmother they have traveled to countless places. He treasured everything he experienced, especially through the lenses of a camera. This past week I was going through the different pictures of the family and noticed one major thing, for every 1 picture my grandfather would be in there would be a handful of pictures that he wouldn't be in. He just loved taking pictures and this ambition at an early age progressed and developed into some of the finest photos I have ever seen. 

One thing about Pappa – he always knew how each of us was doing.  We may have been busy with school and work, or even focused on establishing our own little family….but Pappa…well, he was up to date on all of it.  And he was silently cheering for each of us to find happiness and success. Pappa would make the time to attend all the major events in all of our lives. And it wasn't just with us. He did the same with the great grandchildren. Even at his age, he knew exactly what was happening in everyone's life and what everyone was involved in. It was these little things that made you feel important – especially in a big family.

Family meant everything to him, and in his final days he reminded us that it was now in our hands to look after each other and to stay together. By many accounts he was a hard man who was more often than not, reserved in his speech.  But years have chipped away at his gruff demeanor, and we've learned that at his heart. He was a family man in the best possible sense of the word.  From day one he has been teaching us what it means to be family – and you have no further to look than the relationship he had with his wife, my grandmother for 70 years.  It was his family that kept him going - this wonderfully large, cohesive, loving family.  A family that reaches out to help its own and many others. A family that loves being together. A family that is so often recognized by others as something pretty special. This kind of thing doesn't happen by chance.  It starts at the top; it started with Pappa. This family is the best possible evidence to the character of our grandfather.

His smile was one of the greatest things to see. I have realized after he passed that I am so grateful to have spent so much time with him during my life. I know that these past few weeks have been hard on everyone. There has been sadness and tears and we are all feeling the emptiness of a home that will no longer see Pappa sitting in his chair working on photographs or watching television with us. But to my family – you have only to look around you right now.  Look at what Pappa has given us.  It isn't about the materialistic items.  It is about this family.  This beautiful family is his legacy and every one of you is a part of it.  How did we all get so lucky?

To our beloved Pappa, it'll be a little while, but we will come back and see one another.  Enjoy the peace and quietness while you can, cause when we all get back together…well, you know how loud it gets. And don't forget just how much you mean to us. We all love you very much Pappa and will miss you very dearly. Rest peacefully. You definitely deserve it.

Thank you.

Thank you for giving me the honor of serving your family at such a delicate time in your lives. I hope you find peace in the special way you've chosen to celebrate Vinod's life. I'm sure he was as grateful to have the love of each of you as you are, his.

OBITUARY

Vinodrai Prabhashankar Sompura

July 16, 1925 – July 21, 2014

Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks-Griffin Memorial Park, Mortuary & Crematory

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