Helga Clara Singwi

1926 - 2020

Helga Clara Singwi (Greve) passed away peacefully at her home in Chicago on October 2, 2020, surrounded by multiple members of her family.

Helga was born on Sylt, a Fresian island in the North Sea of Germany, on October 20, 1926. Helga's ancestors were sea captains, and imparted to her a deep love of the sea and surrounding dunes.

Helga was courageous and adventurous, and dreamed of studying agriculture and visiting Africa. After the war ended, seeing little opportunity for herself on her small island, she packed up her bag and traveled to England where she had a childhood friend.

In Birmingham, England she became an au pair and studied nursing. It was also during this time that she met her future husband, Kundan, who was then in the process of completing his doctorate in solid-state theoretical physics.

In 1953, Helga and Kundan married in Kundan's home country of India. Although the couple hoped to establish a life in India, the tumultuous state of the academic world post-independence led them to pursue other options. When in 1959 Kundan was offered a position as a research scientist at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois, the family immigrated to the Midwest.

Alongside raising her four beloved daughters–Tara Oberai, Kulsum Rashid, Veena Singwi, and Sonita Singwi–Helga brightened her home with an artistic culinary flair. A renowned cook amongst family and friends, she masterfully combined German and Indian cuisine–her own form of fusion to compliment her husband's work on atomic fission! Her dishes always came with a beautiful presentation, along with an abundance of whipped cream. Despite her talents in the kitchen, Helga never pursued a career in the culinary arts: she cooked strictly for those she loved. It was only after Kundan's death in 1990, that Helga put down her cooking utensils and bought her first frozen lasagna.

When not in the kitchen, Helga was out meeting people. It was rare for her to go anywhere without finding someone she also wanted you to meet. Working in real estate was a perfect match for her love of people as well as for the city of Chicago. Her gregariousness was complemented by her ability to speak English, German, Danish, Swedish, Hindi and French.

Helga and Kundan were far ahead of their time. Their status as a multi-ethnic couple made them outliers in every place they lived, from Kundan's home country of India, to Helga's home of Sylt, to the tiny village of Winnetka, Illinois, where they built a life for their family. They passed on their love and respect of the world's diversity to their children and grandchildren.

Helga is survived by her four daughters (mentioned above), six grandchildren (Anjali and Sumit Oberai, Ahmir Rashid, Francesca and Marianna Singwi-Ferrono, and Maya Silberman), and six great grandchildren (Aysha and Sunil Cotterill, Maya, Kiran and Nikhil Oberai, Zaziwe Singwi-Ferrono-Paul).

Helga was an enthusiastic supporter of art and music. She was a committed volunteer for many years at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago as well as the Art Institute of Chicago.

In lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated to any of the following institutions that she loved so dearly: the Art Institute of Chicago, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Grant Park Symphony, and the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago.

Alternatively, donations to the Alzheimer's Association would be greatly appreciated.

A memorial service for Helga will be held at a later date.