Obituary for Kiran Mukul
The Mukul Family is heartbroken to announce the passing of their Beloved Kiran Mukul.
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Kiran Mukul, a wife, mother, grandmother and longtime employee of MassMutual, died peacefully this week. She would have turned 76 in two weeks.
She loved birthdays. And anniversaries. And holidays. Long before cell phones and calendar reminders, she was the first to call and wish someone on their special day. She even created an email list-serv for her family to stay in touch and trade greetings. In recent years, it transformed into an active Whatsapp group and she was always the first to acknowledge milestones.
Nicknamed “Piddi” as a child, she was born in Lahore in 1946 to V.P. and Meenakshi Puri. After India’s independence and partition, the Puris arrived in New Delhi. They set up in North Delhi and lived for decades in a home carved out of an old beautiful British courthouse in Civil Lines. VP Puri was the editor of Chitra, a film magazine published in Hindi and Urdu. Piddi, who named herself “Kiran” when she came of school age, grew up with three beloved sisters, Shashi, Guddi and Dolly, and along with their cousin Sushma, the five ladies shared the strongest of bonds. Kiran studied liberal arts at Miranda House at the University of Delhi.
In August 1967, she married Satish Mukul and immigrated to Canada that same year. They moved to Methuen, Massachusetts in 1969, when she gave birth to Nitin; in 1972 came Sunil. The Mukuls lived in North Andover, where Kiran worked as a realtor and as a beloved substitute teacher where students would call her Mom and even came to the house to visit her. In 1982, the family relocated to Longmeadow in western MA. It is here that Kiran spent the fondest years of her life, hosting potlucks for the local Indian association, participating in group dances and raising her family. For a time, she served as president of the Indian Association of Greater Springfield. She worked at Mass Mutual as a claims specialist. There, she made lifelong friendships, and even after retirement in 2008, she continued to see friends for lunch and reunions.
In 2018, Kiran and Satish Mukul sold the Longmeadow house and moved to Somerset, N.J., wanting to be closer to their family. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Satish; son Nitin (Mitra); son Sunil (Nidhi); grandchildren Naya, Mihir, Ishan and Riya, and numerous nieces, nephews and relatives around the world.
Kiran was very clear on things she loved: seafood (but no catfish), Friendly’s, Delaney House, cheesecake, Chico’s, lobster rolls, Yankee Candle Company, the Christmas Tree Shoppes, Thai food, daal makhani, table chargers, setting the table the night before Thanksgiving, mid-century modern furniture, shaami kebab, earrings from the Tibetan shop in Northampton, Fareed Zakaria, Red Rose pizza with a can of Coke, mashed potatoes. Shah Rukh Khan, The Price is Right.
Mostly though, she loved her family and tried so hard to make the times we gathered memorable. She planned menus, made restaurant reservations far in advance, created traditions like reading aloud from a book at Christmas, led the room in singing carols, choreographed a play with her grandchildren about India’s secular roots and many religions. Often, she heroically watched all four grandchildren together and braved through the cacophony. Sometimes, things didn’t go according to plan, and these are precious and hilarious memories now like an accidental 911 dial and the police came on Christmas, the kids falling off a chair onto the floor of a pizzeria, or licking the chocolate fountain in a public buffet.
She was an incredible grandmother, taking the time to get to know each of her grandchildren as individuals. She frequently shared stories with friends about Naya’s academics and dance performances, Mihir’s athletic ability and love of math, Ishan’s loquaciousness and cooking skills, Riya’s singing and humorous stories.
Kiran was meticulous, when it came to the order of her house or her perfectly draped saris or even the toy telephone all four grandkids played with. It’s still in pristine condition. She always said her daughters-in-law were the daughters she never had, and regularly gifted colorful saris, bold dupattas and chunky jewelry. She never said no when they or their families needed her for childcare, whether it was a few hours after school or six weeks in Los Angeles (life highlight: tickets to "The Price is Right").
She will be remembered for her elegance and commitment to her family and community. We will miss her profoundly and vow to honor her memory by continuing to gather, dance, laugh, connect and remember.
Details of her memorial are available here, including a way to join services remotely. In lieu of flowers, donations are welcome to the Parkinson's Foundation.
**Funeral Puja, Viewing & Last Rites
Saturday, February 19, 2022
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (EST USA)
Ruby Memorial Funeral Home
2050 Rt. 130
North Brunswick, NJ 08902**
(Please note this is 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. in India)
**Cremation will follow immediately
at 1:00 p.m. (EST USA)
The Crematory at Holy Cross
East Brunswick, NJ 08902**
LIVE streaming of services will be made available:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClW0vSTFex88Ib3X-NauqbQ
Arrangements are under the respectful care and direction of Funeral Director: Christine Cuoco of Ruby Memorial. Family & Friends may offer prayers and condolences at: www.rubymemorialhome.com
--------------------------
Kiran Mukul, a wife, mother, grandmother and longtime employee of MassMutual, died peacefully this week. She would have turned 76 in two weeks.
She loved birthdays. And anniversaries. And holidays. Long before cell phones and calendar reminders, she was the first to call and wish someone on their special day. She even created an email list-serv for her family to stay in touch and trade greetings. In recent years, it transformed into an active Whatsapp group and she was always the first to acknowledge milestones.
Nicknamed “Piddi” as a child, she was born in Lahore in 1946 to V.P. and Meenakshi Puri. After India’s independence and partition, the Puris arrived in New Delhi. They set up in North Delhi and lived for decades in a home carved out of an old beautiful British courthouse in Civil Lines. VP Puri was the editor of Chitra, a film magazine published in Hindi and Urdu. Piddi, who named herself “Kiran” when she came of school age, grew up with three beloved sisters, Shashi, Guddi and Dolly, and along with their cousin Sushma, the five ladies shared the strongest of bonds. Kiran studied liberal arts at Miranda House at the University of Delhi.
In August 1967, she married Satish Mukul and immigrated to Canada that same year. They moved to Methuen, Massachusetts in 1969, when she gave birth to Nitin; in 1972 came Sunil. The Mukuls lived in North Andover, where Kiran worked as a realtor and as a beloved substitute teacher where students would call her Mom and even came to the house to visit her. In 1982, the family relocated to Longmeadow in western MA. It is here that Kiran spent the fondest years of her life, hosting potlucks for the local Indian association, participating in group dances and raising her family. For a time, she served as president of the Indian Association of Greater Springfield. She worked at Mass Mutual as a claims specialist. There, she made lifelong friendships, and even after retirement in 2008, she continued to see friends for lunch and reunions.
In 2018, Kiran and Satish Mukul sold the Longmeadow house and moved to Somerset, N.J., wanting to be closer to their family. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Satish; son Nitin (Mitra); son Sunil (Nidhi); grandchildren Naya, Mihir, Ishan and Riya, and numerous nieces, nephews and relatives around the world.
Kiran was very clear on things she loved: seafood (but no catfish), Friendly’s, Delaney House, cheesecake, Chico’s, lobster rolls, Yankee Candle Company, the Christmas Tree Shoppes, Thai food, daal makhani, table chargers, setting the table the night before Thanksgiving, mid-century modern furniture, shaami kebab, earrings from the Tibetan shop in Northampton, Fareed Zakaria, Red Rose pizza with a can of Coke, mashed potatoes. Shah Rukh Khan, The Price is Right.
Mostly though, she loved her family and tried so hard to make the times we gathered memorable. She planned menus, made restaurant reservations far in advance, created traditions like reading aloud from a book at Christmas, led the room in singing carols, choreographed a play with her grandchildren about India’s secular roots and many religions. Often, she heroically watched all four grandchildren together and braved through the cacophony. Sometimes, things didn’t go according to plan, and these are precious and hilarious memories now like an accidental 911 dial and the police came on Christmas, the kids falling off a chair onto the floor of a pizzeria, or licking the chocolate fountain in a public buffet.
She was an incredible grandmother, taking the time to get to know each of her grandchildren as individuals. She frequently shared stories with friends about Naya’s academics and dance performances, Mihir’s athletic ability and love of math, Ishan’s loquaciousness and cooking skills, Riya’s singing and humorous stories.
Kiran was meticulous, when it came to the order of her house or her perfectly draped saris or even the toy telephone all four grandkids played with. It’s still in pristine condition. She always said her daughters-in-law were the daughters she never had, and regularly gifted colorful saris, bold dupattas and chunky jewelry. She never said no when they or their families needed her for childcare, whether it was a few hours after school or six weeks in Los Angeles (life highlight: tickets to "The Price is Right").
She will be remembered for her elegance and commitment to her family and community. We will miss her profoundly and vow to honor her memory by continuing to gather, dance, laugh, connect and remember.
Details of her memorial are available here, including a way to join services remotely. In lieu of flowers, donations are welcome to the Parkinson's Foundation.
**Funeral Puja, Viewing & Last Rites
Saturday, February 19, 2022
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (EST USA)
Ruby Memorial Funeral Home
2050 Rt. 130
North Brunswick, NJ 08902**
(Please note this is 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. in India)
**Cremation will follow immediately
at 1:00 p.m. (EST USA)
The Crematory at Holy Cross
East Brunswick, NJ 08902**
LIVE streaming of services will be made available:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClW0vSTFex88Ib3X-NauqbQ
Arrangements are under the respectful care and direction of Funeral Director: Christine Cuoco of Ruby Memorial. Family & Friends may offer prayers and condolences at: www.rubymemorialhome.com