Surinderjit Chahal passed away at home in Fresno, California, on March 2, 2022. She was born on January 6, 1941, and spent her life in service to others. She held multiple degrees, including graduate degrees in Education and in Political Science, and was a lifelong teacher.
Her firm commitment to family and education was evident in how she lived her life. Her immediate and extended family were always her priority, and her work family became part of her extended family. She was passionate about her work with Migrant Education, an organization to which she dedicated her professional life in the US. Today, we are comforted by the tremendous outpouring of love and support we have received from this very large extended family. Every person represents a relationship she valued and nurtured. She was equally committed to education and spent her life encouraging and pushing others to pursue pathways through education.
Her daughters, Monica and Sonia, had in her a role model of a woman who lived life on her own terms and who was strong, confident, and driven. Each is pursuing a career with the same level of passion we saw shining in her. Her sons-in-law, Ranjit and Raj, were her sons, and she adored both. She took special pride in the accomplishments of her grandchildren, Ajit and Amrita. They were fortunate to have experienced her unconditional love into adulthood.
In her retirement, she continued to take care of those around her and to foster all those relationships she had sustained over the years. She pursued another passion, knitting. Everyone in her life, from family members to the home health nurses, received gifts of knitted caps or sweaters or even blankets.
Surinder is survived by daughter, Monica and son-in-law, Ranjit Bhullar; by daughter, Sonia and son-in-law, Raj Singh; and by her beloved grandchildren, Ajit and Amrita Bhullar. She is also survived by a loving extended family, including siblings, Manjit Bal, Gurmit Bal, Surjit Bal and Gurminder Sahota; sisters-in-law, Gursharan Sandhu, Kamal Bal, Shanta Chahal, and Guddi Chahal; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Harpal Chahal; her parents, Gurbachan and Gurdeep Bal; siblings, Narinder Aujla, Satwant Bal, and Inderjit Bal; parents-in-law, Dharam Singh and Raghbir Kaur Chahal; and in-laws, Kuldip Bal and Gurcharan, Daljit, Jagjit, Inderjit, and Sarabjit Chahal.
We adored our mom and will miss her always, but we are grateful that she will be forever with her love, our dad, enjoying as many desserts as her heart desires.
Funeral and services are scheduled for Saturday, March 12, 2022, from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (10:00 prayer; 11:30 eulogy; 12:00 viewing; 12:30 cremation) at Chapel of the Twin Cities, 715 Shasta Street, followed by lunch and prayer at 1:00 PM at the Tierra Buena Sikh Temple, 2468 Tierra Buena Road.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the
American Cancer Society.
Share online condolences at
www.appealdemocrat.comPublished by Appeal Democrat from Mar. 5 to Mar. 11, 2022.