Ragbier Singh Bhandar

Ragbier Singh Bhandar born in Victoria, British Columbia, January 5, 1935, passed peacefully in his home surrounded by his loving family on Monday, October 26th, 2009. He will be missed immensely by his devoted wife of forty five years, Hargian Bhandar. He will be lovingly missed by his four children; son, Devin and daughters, Davina (Mike), Brenna and Deanna. He will forever be greatly loved by his granddaughter, Kira. He is predeceased by his father, Sardar Singh Bhandar and mother, Amar Kaur; sisters, Harbhajan Samra, Gurbachan Sidhu (Gurdev); brother, Jagjeet Singh Bhandar and Seta Dhillon (Hardial). Survived by loving sister, Mindo (Ragbier) Rhandawa and brother, Sukdev (Veronica) Bhandar and brother-in law, Sirjeet Singh Samra. Ruggy was a successful businessman and property owner in the City of Victoria. He enjoyed spending his time with his close friends and family. We will always remember the family car trips, summer cottaging in Campbell River, picnic lunches at Witty’s lagoon, tennis matches and the fishing excursions. Dad was a devoted family man, who took a great deal of care of his family matters and supported his extended family over the years. He had fond and close attachments to his many nieces and nephews and their children. Ruggy was also an active member in the Sikh community. His father had immigrated to Victoria from Punjab in 1907 and Ruggy and his siblings grew up amongst this community of early Punjabi settlers. His community was very important to him, as he has contributed to the growth of the Gurdwara and had served in the past as the treasurer for the Sikh Topaz Temple. Dad spent his entire life in Victoria. At the age of nine, he began working by selling the evening Times Newspaper. As a paper boy he staked out key corners of the downtown core. He often shared great stories of the city and how it has changed in his life time. As a teenager he began working in sawmills, along side his father and cousin. He worked in sawmills through the night-time shifts while attending Victoria High School during the days. As a very self directed and hard working person, he began making investment in property at a young age. He followed his aspiration to be financially secure through his hard work and dedication to the management of his business interests. He took a major trip in his young adult years to Asia and India. It was on this trip that he was introduced to Hargian. They were married and started life together through an adventurous honeymoon around the world. Their shared passion for travel continued throughout their lives. Together as a couple they grew their business, their family and enjoyed many wonderful times. They remained each others support in very tragic and dark times in their families, through the loss of their siblings and parents and other hardships. He was a man who was driven by his goals of achieving security, for himself and his family. He established a strong sense of a work ethic and dedication to family in each of his children and he definitely lived by setting a very sound example. We are grateful to have had him as our father and he will be sorrowfully missed. Heartfelt thanks to Jo-Ellen Morrison and Rinah Zaragosa for their loving care and support to our father throughout his illness. Thank-you to the many doctors and medical staff, including Dr. Lim, Dr. Wilson, Dr. Liebscher, Dr. Schlatter, and particular thank-you to the attention and support of family Dr. Bill Cavers. The family would also like to thank the amazing team at the Victoria Hospice and the Palliative Response Teams, the community nurses and Mary Taylor who offered the necessary support to keep dad at home through his last days. The family would like to ask that in lieu of flowers that donations be made to the Victoria Hospice, 1952 Bay Street.

Funeral Services will take place at MCCALL BROS. FLORAL CHAPEL, Johnson & Vancouver Streets, Victoria, BC on Friday, October 30, 2009 at 11:00 am. Followed by services and langhar (lunch) at the Sikh Temple, 1210 Topaz Avenue. Memorial Reception will follow at the Harbour Room at the Delta Ocean Pointe Resort Victoria between 3pm and 7pm.