Chandra Patel Memorial Fund

Chandra Patel Memorial Fund

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Chandra Patel

February 24, 1951 – July 18, 2015

 

PTA family,

We are saddened by the loss of a community member in Wells Branch.  Chandra Patel was an advocate for our community, and passionate about our kids and their knowledge of the environment.

Chandra, as he preferred to be called, was born on February 24, 1951 in Ndola, Zambia. He was the eldest in a joint family that included 10 children. He lived in Zambia until the age of 13 after which he attended a boarding school in Rhodesia, now known as Zimbabwe, to complete middle school until 1967.  Much of his youth was spent in boarding schools continuing at the age of 17 when he travelled to England for high school. Thereafter, Chandra attended The University of Exeter in Exeter, England, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering in 1973. He never did have the opportunity to utilize this degree since he emigrated to the USA in 1973 to attend the University of Oregon in Eugene where he successfully completed his MBA in 1975.

Chandra married Nila Patel in India in 1978 and soon thereafter they moved to Dalhart, Texas where their daughter, Bijal was born. After a short time in Houston and Corpus Christi they moved to Austin in 1982 where their son Manish was born.

Bijal and Manish attended Wells Branch Elementary in the early 1980s and spent most summers riding their bikes around the neighborhood and cooling off in the community pool. Chandra owned two houses in Wells Branch and enjoyed the company of countless neighbors. In the last house where his wife still resides he planted a lovely garden filled with native Texas plants. He believed in going organic! He loved the Wells Branch garden parties and wealth of knowledge he received and shared with the Wells Branch Community.

In recent years Chandra was able to take some time off to travel and thoroughly enjoyed visiting different countries and enjoying time with loved ones at weddings. He was also very involved in growing organic fruits and vegetables as his neighbors can attest, he was a great fan of the Gardening Shows on KLBJ AM. Chandra was a very jolly person with a wonderful sense of humor as most of you will recall. I am certain that many amongst you are sorely going to miss his emails that brought cheer every day. And who can forget his singing “For He Is A Jolly Good Fellow” at so many parties!

In honor of Chandra’s life, the PTA will be accepting donations that will go directly to our gardening program at Wells Branch.  Please consider honoring Chandra’s life by contributing to the work he loved so much!



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