Elizabeth Bharucha

1927 - 2018
Elizabeth Bharucha (née Elizabeth Emily Robinson) died peacefully on February 12, 2018, in Middletown, Connecticut, at age 90. She was born in Albany, New York, in 1927 to Grant McNeil Robinson and Elizabeth Robinson (née Hayes).
Elizabeth graduated from the Albany Girls' Academy and the University of Michigan School of Music. She continued her musical studies at the famous Conservatoire de Paris, focusing on organ performance and studying with composer Darius Milhaud.
At the University of Michigan, Elizabeth met her future husband, Jal, at the newly formed United Nations Club. They married in 1950 in Bombay, where they lived until the late 1970s.
Her first few years in India were adventuresome for an American woman back then. While Jal camped out at remote construction sites in Palai, Kerala and Ranghola, Gujerat, she ignored family entreaties to remain in Bombay and insisted on roughing it out. Elizabeth and Jal later regaled their children with stories of cobras and scorpions while living in thatched huts. Their first child, Camille, was born in a jungle mission hospital in Bharananganam, Kerala.
While in Bombay, Elizabeth served as Music Director and organist at the Scots Kirk (Church of St Andrews & St Columba, Fort) and the All Saints Church (Malabar Hill), where she played for Sunday services and conducted concerts of choral music. She studied Indian classical singing, at one point with PanditDinkarKaikini.
In 1962, Elizabeth and Jal joined with others to found the Bombay International School, which was highly progressive for its time, and where they enrolled their three children.
After moving back to the US in 1977, Elizabeth obtained a Master's Degree in Ethnomusicology from the City University of New York. She served as organist and music director at several churches in New York and New Jersey. In 1994, she and Jal moved to Bradenton, Florida, where they spent many happy years. While playing organ in Florida, she was active in the American Guild of Organists, and was elected Chapter Dean. In 2013, Elizabeth and Jal relocated to Middletown, Connecticut to be with their daughter Annaita Gandhy.
Elizabeth was known for her energetic musical performances of choral and her honest and outspoken views. She and Jal traveled extensively by car through the Himalayas with their kids when roads were barely functional.
She is survived by her children Camille Bharucha, Annaita Gandhy and Jamshed Bharucha, grandchildren Riyad Gandhy, Roxanne Irani, Sarah Griffin, Christian Griffin, and Arthur Bharucha, and great grandchildren Anya Irani and Jahan Irani. Jal, her husband of 67 years, passed away three weeks earlier.
There will be a Memorial service for Elizabeth and Jal on Saturday, March 3, 2018, 3 pm, at the Church of the Holy Trinity, 381 Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457. In lieu of flowers please consider donating to: Apple Rehab, Middletown, CT, Attention: Recreation Department, 600 Highland Avenue, Middletown, CT 06457. To share memories or send condolences, please visit www.doolittlefuneralservice.com.