Bipin Gulabdas Shah
Bipin Gulabdas Shah, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away
peacefully on August 15, 2025, at the age of 89. He is survived by his devoted wife of
57 years, Karuna Shah, his children Nina Garas (Samer) and Amit Shah (Beth Fisher),
and his cherished grandchildren Nicholas, Alexis, Sofia, and Deven.
He was born in 1936 in the small village of Shahada, Maharashtra, India, the seventh of
eleven children to Lilavati and Gulabdas. Despite the hardships of rural village life—no
running water, no electricity, and constant uncertainty—he and all of his siblings
survived, a rare and remarkable outcome at that time. He grew up drawing water from
the family well, playing by the river, and sharing mischief with his brothers and sisters.
He often recalled skipping school with his brother to go to the movies, only to be caught
and punished by their eldest brother, Bhagwan, who fasted for three days in for their
transgression, leaving them with a lifelong lesson about responsibility and family duty.
Education was always important to him, but after high school the family did not have the
money to send him to college. Instead, he joined the Indian Air Force, where he served
with discipline and pride. When his term of service ended, he enrolled at Maharaja
Sayajirao University in Baroda, where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering.
As he aged, one story he repeated the most from his early years was of his final college
entrance examinations in Mumbai. His father passed away just as the exams began, but
his brother, Bhagwan, instructed the family to keep the news from him until afterward,
so he could succeed without distraction. That gesture of sacrifice and love became a
touchstone for him throughout his life.
In 1977, at the age of 41, he immigrated to the United States, settling in St. Louis. A
year later, in August 1978, his wife and children joined him. He went on to build a career
in the aerospace industry, supervising the construction of aircraft parts for national
defense.
Even as he built a new life in America, he carried with him the stories of his childhood in
India. He often told of the day Mahatma Gandhi died, when, as a boy of eleven or
twelve, he joined a mourning procession walking to honor his legacy. He was swept
along for miles before a neighbor recognized him and brought him safely home.
Beyond his work, he found joy in the simple pleasures of life. In India, he loved following
cricket, and after moving to the United States he became a devoted St. Louis Cardinals
fan. He also loved Hindi music and movies from his youth. In more recent years, he
delighted in puzzles and word searches, which kept his mind sharp and gave him quiet
satisfaction.
He will be remembered for his warmth, resilience, and devotion to family. Above all, he
found his greatest joy in his 57-year marriage to Karuna, the success of his children,
and the love of his grandchildren. His life was a bridge—from the scarcity of his
childhood village to the opportunities of America, from struggle to stability, and from
stories of the past to the bright hopes of the future generations he leaves behind.
A service and memorial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, August 22, 2025, at St.
Louis Cremation, 2135 Chouteau Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63103.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation at
https://curethekids.org/.
So touching. What a great man, well-loved, and I am so thankful for the legacy he left.
I wish I’d had the opportunity to know him. Our community and our country are forever in his debt.
We deeply regret to know about a noble human, Bipinbhai.
We had a good time with him & Karunaben, during our stay in st.Louis.
Accept our heartfelt condolences.
Our prayers to almighty to rest Bipinbhai Soul in peace.
Hansa and I are deeply saddened by the news of passing away of our dear friend Bipinbhai . Very calm and content person. We pray for his soul to rest in peace and give strength to Karunabhabhai and the whole family to bare his loss. We will miss him.🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Samprati
Hansa and I are deeply saddened by the news of passing away of our dear friend Bipinbhai . Very calm and content person. We pray for his soul to rest in peace and give strength to Karunabhabhai and the whole family to bare his loss. We will miss him.🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Samprati
Wishing you peace to bring comfort and the courage to face the days ahead and loving memories to forever hold in your hearts. Our hearts are filled with sorrow upon hearing the news about your Bipin Gulabdas Shah aka. Bipin Fua passing. Our most sincere condolences.🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💐💐💐🌷🌹🌹🌹🌹🌺🌺🌺🌸🌸🌸🌼🌼🌼🌼🌻🌻🌻
Extremely Sorry from the innermost bottom of my heart
Deepest condolences to you & your family and may God give you strength & courage thru’ these difficult times to overcome Sincere Apologies
Om Shanti
રામ નામ સત્ય હૈં |
ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात्पुर्णमुदच्यते
पूर्णश्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
Punarapi jananam punarapi maranam, punarapi janani jathare shayanam. Iha samsaare bahu dustare, krupayaa paare paahi murare|| 21 || Meaning: Birth again and again, death again and again. Sleeping in the mother’s womb again and again. This Sansaar (world of miseries) is indeed very hard to cross.
Undergoing the pangs of birth again and again, passing through the throes of death again and again, lying in the mother’s womb over and over again, this process of Samsara is hard to cross over. Save me from it soon, Oh, Merciful Lord!
Being born again, dying again, and again lying in the mother’s womb; this samsara is extremely difficult to cross over. Save me, O destroyer of Mura, through your infinite compassion
Dear karunamasi, Amit and Nina
The Sankalias, ( Hansa, Arjun, Ayesha) the Vakils ( Geeta and Pareshbhai ) and the Sinhas( Mala and Pradeep) are with you in this time of loss and grief. All of us remember Bipin masa with fondness admiration n our time spent together. May you all have the strength to cope with this loss. We pray for peaceful onwards journey of Bipinmasa.
Love to all of you
Mala
What an epic life story!
To me, my friend’s dad was always kind and gracious; always witty and a quick to laugh.
Always encouraging with my studies and in our common profession.
His memory and legacy will be well kept by his loving family. May he find peace and rest.
Bhagwan amna atma ne shanti aape
Om Shanti
Bhagwan amna aatma ne shanti aape
Om Shanti
Mama was a man of love, resilience, and devotion to family. From his childhood in a small village in India to building a life in America, he faced every challenge with courage and warmth. He treasured his 57-year marriage to Mami, took great pride in his children, and adored his grandchildren. I have memories of him when he was staying in India. We used to come to Mumbai from Navapur to spend summer vacation with nani and his family. That time he was so kind used to spend time with my mother and us. We will always remember him for the love, guidance, and strength he shared with all of us.
I remember Bipinbhai as a warm, loving, caring, gentle, kind, generous and an extremely hard working person. He was a father figure to me and did a lot for the entire family. I will remain grateful for all the things he did for me. He will be missed and remembered forever.
Your kindness was a true gift. We all will remain grateful for the support you gave to the entire family. May god give enough strength to Karunamami, Amit and Nina to bear this irreplaceable loss.
Decades of separation and illusion of time could not take away your love and affection for me…if I close my eyes always find you with me.My success in Engineering came from Dineshbhai and your efforts… Unforgettable Baroda days… Enjoyed life as a Your kid brother ….on 15 th August I was admitted to icu…today returned home…. Jayshri krishna 🙏🙏🌹🌹
I will always treasure the memories of Bipinmama’s warmth and kindness. We were fortunate to have many opportunities to meet and spend time with him during his visits to Ottawa to see his elder brother. He will be deeply missed by the many whose lives he touched. May God rest his soul in peace.
જયશ્રી કૃષ્ણ 🙏🙏🙏
Shri Bipin Mama, as I have observed, possessed a heart full of love and devotion for the family including brothers and sisters. He consistently showed care and consideration for each of his siblings throughout their lives. His support played a crucial role in helping them navigate challenges. He always prioritized their well-being and future, encouraging them to find their paths. Indeed, he was a wonderful person, guiding them toward settling into their lives.
It is with deep sorrow that I offer my heartfelt sympathies. May you find solace during this difficult time of loss and grief. Wishing you peace and tranquility during this period of mourning.
जय श्री कृष्ण
🙏🌷🙏
Mama.. too many sweet memories with him.. every year we used to come from Sangli to visit him in Jogeshwari.. during the summer vacations and he used to treat me as his own child.. once I was ill and he literally picked me up and took me to the doctor and helped with the medical attention.. so many more memories to cherish throughout this life! I’m always going to miss him from the bottom of my heart ❤️ May his soul rest in peace 🙏🏻 Jay shree Krishna..!
We mourn the passing of our dear Bipin kaka, a kind and loving soul. As the elder brother of my father, he shared a deep bond with him, even though life kept them apart for many years. His visits here in Tampa were filled with warmth and affection, leaving lasting memories in my heart. May his soul rest in peace. Karuna kaki, Nina and Amit and family we have you all in our prayers and thoughts. 🙏🏻 Om Shanti
જય શ્રી કૃષ્ણ.હૃદયસ્પર્શી જિંદગીની સફર રહી. પ્રભુ પુ. બિપીનમામાનાં આત્માને ચિર:શાંતિ આપે અને આપ સર્વેને દુઃખ સહન કરવાની શક્તિ આપે એ જ પરમકૃપાળુ પરમાત્માને પ્રાર્થના. અમે બધા આપનાં દુઃખમાં સહભાગી છે.
પુ. સરલાબા અને ધનંજય હંમેશા મામાનાં મીઠા સ્મરણો કહેતા હતા.
Mama will always be remembered for his kindness, wisdom, and the love he shared with everyone around him. His journey from India to the U.S. and the life he built is an inspiration to us all.
I have very few personal memories with Bipin Mama as I was the youngest, but I’ll always remember the stories Mom shared about the time she spent with him. He will remain in our thoughts and prayers.
My heartfelt condolence on the loss of our beloved Bipin Mama. ❤ May his soul rest in peace wherever he is…
Jai Shree Krishna 🙏
Mama will always be remembered for his kindness, wisdom, and the love he shared with everyone around him. His journey from India to the U.S. and the life he built is an inspiration to us all.
I have very few personal memories with Bipin Mama as I was the youngest, but I’ll always remember the stories Mom shared about the time she spent with him. He will remain in our thoughts and prayers.
My heartfelt condolence on the loss of our beloved Bipin Mama. ❤ May his soul rest in peace wherever he is…
Jai Shree Krishna 🙏
Thank you very much for your kind words
in this tough time. I really appreciate it.
Jay Shree Krishna 🙏🙏🙏
Dear Mami,
I was saddened to hear about the passing of Mama. Deepest condolences to you, Mina and Amit. May God give you strength and courage in this difficult time. My mummy (Sarlaben) always used to remember Mama.
Bipin Bhai’s family was lived as our neighbor in India. He used to come to spent his vacation with his family. I just knew him as calm and very friendly person.
In U S we met as I was lived in Memphis TN which is close to St Louis. Here I have meet him with his lovely family too. I found all this yers himself and Karunabhbhai very kind and helpful to us.
I pray God to spare his soul peace and to all his family members enough strength to bear a great loss.
I remember old memories with Bipin mama oftenly, all the times I have spent with him in Baroda home when I was kid.
My heartfelt condolences on the loss of our beloved Bipin mama
May his soul Rest in peace 🙏