Funeral Service Live Stream:
Events
The Funeral Service will take place on Friday, October 11, 2024 starting 12:00PM – 1:30PM EDT at the Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home, located at 9900 Braddock Rd, Fairfax, VA 22032. For those unable to attend the service in-person, you can participate remotely by viewing the live stream of the service (please scroll up to see the video).
The Prayer Service will take place on Friday, October 11, 2024 starting 2:15PM EDT at the Sikh Center of Virginia, located at 8015 Buckhall Rd, Manassas, VA 20111.
Obituary
Harcharan “Harry” Singh Suri was a beloved and respected husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, mentor, business partner, and philanthropist. On October 5, 2024, after a life filled with love, family, purpose, faith, and a passion for his work, he passed away peacefully at his home in Oakton, Virginia, USA with his family in attendance. He was 84 years old.
Born on March 19, 1940 to the late Sardar Kishan Singh and Pritpal Kaur, Harcharan was one of eight children and enjoyed his childhood in Jamshedpur, India. An excellent student with a strong work ethic, he received a Bachelor of Technology degree with First Class Honors in Electrical Engineering from the India Institute of Technology Kharagpur on January 31, 1963. He also earned a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on June 19, 1967, and another Master of Science degree from Newark College of Engineering in New Jersey on May 27, 1970.
He married his loving life partner, Jaspal Kaur (Gill) Suri, on August 14, 1966 in New Delhi, India, and soon after immigrated to the United States. Together they raised two children, became United States citizens, and most recently celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary. Over the years, they lived in New Jersey, Ohio, and Virginia before ultimately making their home of approximately 40 years in Troy, Michigan. In 2021, Harcharan and Jaspal relocated to Oakton, Virginia to be closer to their children and grandchildren.
A successful engineer who spent many years working in the cable television industry, Harcharan developed a keen business mind and a desire to run his own business. His dream ultimately became a reality when he purchased, owned, and operated a cable television company that serviced several counties in Michigan from the mid-1980s through the mid-to-late 1990s. When he sold his business, Harcharan decided to devote his talents and energy to serving others and honoring the memory of his ancestors through “seva,” or “the art of blessed action.” To that end, he founded the Suri Seva Foundation, a Michigan non-profit charitable corporation that focuses on initiatives in the areas of education and health. Under his stewardship and in collaboration with various partners in India, the Foundation has instituted academic merit awards for engineering students, established palliative care services for the community in Jamshedpur, India, and built a therapeutic healing garden for cancer patients.
When he was not working, Harcharan could often be found sitting quietly at his desk contemplating and reading, especially books by David Bohm and J. Krishnamurthi, or having deep, philosophical discussions with close family and friends. A man of faith, he also studied Sikh scripture and would lovingly share verses that he believed would be meaningful or comforting to others. Harcharan also loved music, was a talented singer, and had an infectious laugh and beaming smile. He also appreciated the beauty and serenity of nature, especially the sunrise and sunset, which he enjoyed watching at his lake house on Lake Huron.
Harcharan is survived by his wife, Jaspal, son Dave Singh Suri, daughter Sharan Kaur Suri Custer and her husband David Custer, along with grandsons Danveer Suri Custer and Roshan Emery Custer. He is also survived by his elder brothers Ardaman Singh and Harkirat Singh, his younger sister Balraj Kaur Bumbra, and a large extended family around the globe.
Funeral and cremation services will be held at Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home on Friday, October 11 beginning at 12:00pm. Guests are welcome to arrive as soon as 11:30am. A prayer service and langar will directly follow at the Sikh Center of Virginia, located at 8015 Buckhall Road, Manassas, VA 20111 at 2:15pm. A streaming option for those unable to attend will be available.
In lieu of flowers, and if you wish, you may make a donation in Harcharan’s memory to the charity of your choice.