Srdar Jalaur Singh Sidhu

Srdar Jalaur Singh Sidhu March 7, 1932-December 21, 2009 Srdar Jalaur Singh Sidhu was born at Mallwala, Distt. Bathhinda, Punjab on March 7, 1932 and raised at Chak Ruldu Singh Wala, Dist. Bathhinda. His mother was Mata Dhan Kaur (Nijjar) and Father was Srdar Ajaib Singh Sidhu. He was very proud of the fact that he was from the 'Mehraj Kay' Sidhus and he was a 6th generation descendent of Baba Ruldu Singh Sidhu who was from Poohla, a village of the original 22 Sidhu Villages aka 'Bahia'. Baba Ruldu Singh Sidhu was the founder of our Village known as Chak Ruldu singh Wala. He would proudly display that since he was from 'Bahia', his village was always invited to Maharaja Patiala's weddings! His sense of humour was very well developed and he always had a story with current topic on the hand. All of his stories are biblically the core of life in our household. I can't have a day when I don't say my dad use to say this or that. He was educated at Rajindra College in Bathhinda; Barjindra College in Faridkot and had a 'stint' at Patiala, Punjab. His main passion was Hockey and he was sought by these colleges to play for them. They would lure him with 'Atheletic Bonuses'. He was lamenting the fact that his first teaching job paid less than his 'Atheletic Bonuses' and he wanted to extend his degree from 6/7 years to 8 or 9 if possible. Only reason he got education he said was that so he could play hockey otherwise he was happy just to go on long walks. He was very proud of the fact that he was only the third person in the village to be educated. He became a teacher in 1956. He taught at Sahnewal, Mansa, for two years. Then for eight years (1958 to 1966) he taught at Ghudha, Bathhinda and become a Headmaster. He shifted to Chak Kharak Singh Wala (aka Doomwali) in 1966. In 1967 he transferred to Civil Lines Elementary School, Bathhinda, Punjab. From there he migrated to Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan in June 1970 and worked at McMillan Bloedel from 1970 to 1972. There his family joined him in April 1971. Finally his destiny took him to Boeing of Canada, Winnipeg Branch, as a Tech II where he built the beautiful Boeing 747's, 757's, 767's and finally 777's when he retired in 1992 at the age of 60. He got married to Mrs. Gurcharan Kaur Sidhu (Kaler), daughter of Subedar Bhajan Singh Kaler, of Chuhcarchak, Dist. Faridkot, Punjab on June 14th, 1956. He loved all of his family but he had a special place in his heart for his brothers-in-law; Harbans Singh Kaler, Inderjit Singh Kaler and Ranjit Singh Kaler. He was a very helpful type of a person. In India he would help people get their High School education, get teaching employment due to his networking, or get them married by being the middleman. He would tutor students, without charging, to the extent that students would sleep over in groups at his house as if they were his family. During his twenty years in Winnipeg he made sure that he helped his relatives or strangersas they tried to settle in Canada. The list of the people who stayed with him is too long to mention. Sometimes there were five permanent 'guests' living with him at a time in the early 1970's. Just about then his retirement travel scheme kicked in and from 1989 to 2009 for 20 years in a row he visited India every year, along with the UK, USA and Pakistan. On October 3, 2008 Jalaur Singh Sidhu went to India for his '20th in-a-row winter trip'. On January 3rd, 2009 he had a massive stroke in his sleep. He was admitted to the DMC Hero Heart Clinic at Ludhiana. On February 19th, 2009 he was brought to Grey Nuns Hospital by his son Jagwinder Singh Sidhu. He stayed there until the end of August 2009. Due to complications he was admitted at the Good Samaritan Millwoods Care Center. There it looked like he was recovering but he fell ill with pneumonia in December, That illness finally took his life on Monday, December 27th, 2009 at 10:14 a.m. He passed on to God very peacefully with his family by his side. His wife, Mrs. Gurcharan Kaur Sidhu (Kaler), predeceased him on November 28, 1997. His large family grieves for him at Winnipeg, Vancouver, Toronto, UK, USA and Chak Ruldu Singh Wala in India. In Canada he is grieved by his Son Jagwinder Singh Sidhu, daughter-in-law Kamaljit Kaur Sidhu, Grandsons Karamvir Singh Sidhu, Gunvir Singh Sidhu, granddaughter, Srgun Kaur Sidhu, , the apple of his eye. Srd. Ranjit Singh Kaler and family, Mrs. Baljit Kaur Kaler and family, and many friends and relatives. He often forgave ill behaviour of others because he didn't want to discuss and revisit the topic. He wouldn't talk about his enemies because he said it was waste of energy and effort and also he would ask, "Where and what would day be without the night?" He hated negativism. His motto was 'happiness or bust!' He would jokingly say that "Giving is 'for-giving'!" I understand now what he meant. His favourite saying was from Sikhism, "Hasna khelna man ka Chao!", which meant Laughing and playing are mind's aspirations! He was a great man who lived his life preserving the integrity of others as well his own. He practiced and lived Sikhism always leading by example. He never measured life in terms of money, land, gold or wealth but in terms of laughter, passion, integrity, honour, trust, loyalty, giving and forgiving. He didn't care if people didn't appreciate him if he saved marriages, bankruptcies, jobs and lives. He did good because it was 'good'. If anyone helped him he respected them to the end. He has left a gaping hole in the lives of his loved ones but we, the family, know that he is in a better place alongside God. We thank him for leading an inspirational life and guiding us to walk in his footsteps and give back to the community. Thank you, father and grandfather and we would all like to say that, "We have loved you! We will love you! We will always love and remember you!" Hainstock's Funeral Home & Crematorium, 780-440-2999. Honoured Provider of Dignity Memorial