Lalitha Nagaraja Rao

RAO

Lalitha NAGARAJA RAO

Lalitha Nagaraja Rao, 83, passed away peacefully while surrounded by family on Friday, July 22, 2022. She will be missed immeasurably by family and friends around the world.



Lalitha was born in Mysore, India on August 17, 1938 to Y.V. Sreenivasa and Padma Rau. Her father's service in the Indian Army provided her the opportunity to travel around India as a child, setting the stage for her future love of travel. In 1958, Lalitha graduated from Maharani's College for Women in Bangalore, India, with a Bachelor of Arts degree.



On August 13, 1965, she married C.R. Nagaraja Rao. They settled in the United States, where they first lived in Los Angeles, then in Corvallis, OR, and finally in Rockville, MD. While Lalitha focused her energy on raising their daughters, Janaki and Sheela, she was also very involved in the local community wherever she lived, allowing her to make friendships that lasted a lifetime. Once her daughters were grown, Lalitha worked as a data/claims processor in the healthcare industry for many years. She also earned an Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration from Montgomery College. Lalitha and Nagaraja had a wonderful life together and enjoyed traveling around the world throughout their marriage.



Lalitha was a kind, compassionate, and joyful person who positively impacted so many lives over the years. She was known for her generosity, hospitality, and her extraordinary cooking. Lalitha loved gardening, reading, the performing arts, and discussing politics. She always enjoyed the opportunity to gather with friends and family, and it was a bonus if Mexican food and margaritas were part of the plan. While attending college in India, Lalitha played throwball. In later years, she enjoyed bowling, especially with her grandchildren. She was a lifelong fan of tennis and watched Wimbledon every year.



Lalitha served as such an inspiration through her positive attitude, inner strength, and "young at heart" philosophy. She was truly a wonderful mother, grandmother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend, and her loss leaves a substantial void in the lives of all who knew and loved her.



Lalitha will always be remembered for her dedication to her family and friends. She is survived by her daughter, Janaki Rao; daughter, Sheela Rao Cooper and her husband, Robert; grandchildren, Asha Rao Cooper and Kieran Robert Cooper; sister, Malathi Hiranya; sister, Prabha Rao and her husband, Suresh; sister, Nalini Sarpeshkar and her husband, Ashok; brother, Y.S. Sridhar and his wife, Kasturi; sister-in-law, Gayatri Rau; and numerous other family members and close friends.



Lalitha was preceded in death by her husband of 35 years, C.R. Nagaraja Rao; parents, Y.V. Sreenivasa and Padma Rau; brother, Ramesh Rau; and brother-in-law, N. Hiranya.



A memorial service will be held on Sunday, July 31, 2022 at 9 a.m. at Robert Pumphrey Funeral Home, 7557 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Sri Siva Vishnu Temple, 6905 Cipriano Road, Lanham, MD 20706 or online at ssvt.org.



The family is so grateful to everyone who has provided support during this difficult time and extends their sincerest thanks to all. They are also very appreciative of the medical staff at Suburban Hospital and her caregiver, Charlene Wilson, for the compassionate care they provided to Lalitha during her time with them.

www.pumphreyfuneralhome.com