Obituary of Asha Kamal

 

“Asha Kamal” was the pen name Gurcharan Kamal used for his poetry as a young man in India.  Many years later, his namesake and youngest child made her entrance into the world during the Summer Olympics on Canada Day, July 1, 1976.  In the early years her birthday was celebrated with much fanfare, and it wasn’t until she was 8 years old when she realized her father hadn’t arranged the fireworks just for her.

 

Asha was a stunning baby who came home with so much hair that she needed a ponytail! She was everyone’s baby, as her eldest sister was already 16. Her siblings fought for her attention and her brothers often “kidnapped” her for the afternoon.  Asha always thought the world revolved around her – and it really did.

 

Asha was an inquisitive, active and mischievous child who decided to give herself bangs when she was just 2 ½.  She learned to read at 3 and had a lifelong voracious appetite for books, often completing a novel in a day.  She loved taking things apart and putting them back together, her Cabbage Patch babies, and she even named her first purse Betty after Betty Boop.

 

As an adolescent, Asha had eclectic interests.  She enjoyed Kathak dancing, gymnastics and watching WWF wrestling. She was passionate about all music genres, especially heavy metal, and played the saxophone in the school jazz band.  She developed a penchant for crafting, puzzling, gardening and true crime stories.

 

Asha graduated from Marion Graham Collegiate in Saskatoon. Gifted in math from a young age, Asha was a great teacher and tutored many children including her nieces over the years.  She went on to complete a degree in Economics from the University of Saskatchewan and enjoyed a career as a Payroll and Human Resources Specialist for several large companies in Western Canada.  

 

As an adult, Asha continued to enjoy spending time at the family cottage at Atton’s Lake. She loved getting together with friends and live music and was the consummate 90’s grunge girl. She treasured family time, games and laughter – Asha’s sharp wit and unique perspective kept everyone constantly engaged.   

 

A kind and vibrant person, Asha had a generous heart, was accepting of all those around her and loved her animals unconditionally. She felt everything very deeply and was anything but materialistic. She reveled in the small things and treasured life’s simple gifts. Her greatest gift, Mason, was her absolute pride and joy.  

 

Asha was the consummate daddy’s girl and had a very special relationship with her father. Like him, when Asha was with you, she was all in, and left a part of herself behind. Those beautiful parts will be with us forever. Our family has lost a bright light that will now shine in her father’s arms.

 

Asha is preceded in death by her father (Gurcharan “Kammy” Kamal). Asha is survived by her son Mason Kamal, her mother Harbhajan “Jan” Kamal, mother-in-law Linda Spuzak, sisters Rajoo Kamal, Kajoo Kamal Dick (niece Alixe and Goddaughter Taylor), Seema Kamal Stewart (niece Satara), her brothers Maujoo Kamal (Nephews Navras and Arjun and niece Shanti) and Irvine Richelhoff (Niece Hannah and nephew Connor), her cats Muffin and Dagan and dogs Wiley and Boonk.

 

Services will be held March 2, 2023. All are welcome.

9:30 am: Procession begins at Saskatoon Funeral Home, 338-4^th Ave North to Prairie View Crematorium, Hwy 11 South on the way to Regina.

Approx 11:00 am: Prayers at Sikh Temple Gurdwara Sahib, 331 Lowe Road.

3:00 pm: Fellowship at Hunger Cure Resto Bar, 123-2^nd Ave South.

 

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada or an animal rescue of your choice. You may also contribute to Mason’s continuing education fund by contacting Seema at 602 318 9836.