With much sadness and with a heavy heart, we announce the peaceful passing of our beloved mother, Bhajan “Biji” Kaur Basi. Biji on May 19, 2022, at the age of 84.
Born near Jalandhar, Punjab, Biji and her late husband Harbhajan Singh Basi immigrated to Canada and worked hard to support their family of six. Biji began working at Pagliacci’s as their first employee, and it was there that she was able to foster a community of fellow Punjabi immigrants that became an extended family for her here in Canada.
Biji was a light that expressed her love for the people around her through her selflessness, compassion and benevolence. She welcomed everyone around her as family, a tribute to her traditional village upbringing in India. She was always there to support anyone in need in their good or less fortunate times. An independent, resilient and motivated person, she always looked for ways to complete tasks by herself before ever asking for help. She loved social gatherings with family and friends, enjoyed humor and was happiest listening and sharing funny stories. Even though English was her second language, she relished in connecting with people, welcoming them with her generosity, a warm and nurturing demeanor and a beautiful smile.
Biji was an exceptional cook, as anyone who has tasted her cooking would surely remember. Her food was known far and wide for its rich flavours and for the comfort it provided to all who had the fortune of tasting it. She was a dedicated humanitarian and contributed to the kitchens at the Topaz Street Gurdwara for ‘seva’ (an act of compassion for others) for ‘langar’ (community soup kitchen) services.
She was an avid gardener and enjoyed growing her own food. Her garden, nestled atop a hill in Fernwood, still boasts an extensive variety of flowers, vegetables, fruits, herbs, and shrubs. Every day, weather permitting, she would tend to her garden, a pastime she shared with her late husband and in recent years with her daughter, Raji.
Biji was a beloved mother to Deep, Polly, Shinda, Raji, and daughter-in-law Amarjit; grandmother to Nina, Sonya, Gurinder, Simmi, Sanjeev, Suneel, and Amrit; great-grandmother to Saya and Sahil; and adopted mother to everyone she encountered. Her presence will be deeply missed by all.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 28, 2022, at 1:00pm in the Sequoia Centre at McCall Gardens, 4665 Falaise Drive, Victoria, BC V8Y 1B4, and will be followed by a Prayer and Bhog Service at 3:00pm at the Sikh Temple, 1210 Topaz Ave, Victoria, BC V8T 2N1. For those who wish to attend via zoom the link is below:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84825889914?pwd=c00yUzAyeE5UU3VWOWFPbmRoQTJIQT09
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
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Shindy Bains Skaar
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Gurinder Bawa Sending hugs for my respectable Aunty Ji. She was a great person to know with a beautiful and honest soul. I will miss her for rest of my life. I know she will be sending her blessings to all of us even if she is no longer present with us. RIP BIJi
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Jan and Kuldip Aujla Our hearts are broken to hear the loss of Masi Ji. She was truly a gem and will be dearly missed. Her hugs were always so tight and loving that every time she hugged me, I felt like I was hugging my own Mom. Thank you Masi for being so true and kind. RIP Masi Ji.
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Piara Singh Sanghera Every word written above illustrates just how much of an amazing and inspirational woman she really was. She always embraced us, supporting us through all our hard times, as well as always being there to share our happy family moments. She will deeply be missed. Sending you all our love.
Piara Singh Sanghera & Family xxx
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Barb Harding Sending my love
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Howie Siegel I’m sorry to miss the Memorial but my heart and my head will be there even if my body won’t.
She raised a beautiful family that carries her legacy forward and will be dearly missed by the entire community.