Suchita R. Dighe

June 22, 1945 - May 4, 2022

On May 4th, a beautiful, brave woman peacefully passed away at home in Annapolis, MD due to complications associated with Parkinson’s disease. Known as Rani (queen) to Ramesh, her devoted husband of 52 years; Mom to her son, Atul, and daughter-in-law, Annikki, and her daughter, Sonal, and son-in-law, James; Aaji to her five grandkids: Maya, Sonja, Jayna, Niam, and Nevin; Viju to all her family and friends in India; and Suchita to all her friends in the US, her loss is deeply felt around the world. According to Indian tradition, Suchita was born in her mother’s home village of Akola to Vasudev and Pushpalata Kulkarni. The oldest of six, Suchita lived and grew up with her parents, 3 younger sisters, and 2 younger brothers in Dadar, the cultural hub of Mumbai. During her school years, Suchita was the captain of her school’s “kho-kho” team (a traditional ancient Indian sports game—think tag meets dodgeball) and demonstrated her artistic talents from a young age, earning several prizes for her painting, handiwork, and dancing. Defying custom, during high school, Suchita began to date Ramesh (the older brother of one of her best friends, whose family lived one floor above in their Dadar apartment building.) After completing his undergraduate engineering degree, Ramesh was accepted to a graduate engineering program in the USA. Prior to his departure to New York, Suchita and Ramesh were engaged on February 17, 1968. On July 26, 1969, Suchita arrived in America and she and Ramesh celebrated their wedding on August 2, 1969 in LeFrak City, Queens, NY. Over the next 7 years, Suchita acclimated to life in America, experiencing many firsts: · shopping in a department store—Macy’s on 5th Avenue in Midtown NYC, of course! · enduring her first snow and winter temperatures (much different from tropical Mumbai!) · welcoming many other immigrant friends from India · enhancing her English by watching classic TV shows like “I Love Lucy” and “Perry Mason,” and taking classes at the local junior college · traveling around the East Coast, visiting Niagara Falls, Boston, Maine, Philadelphia, and Montreal · learning to drive · buying a car and a house in the suburbs · and starting a family (Atul was born in Queens, NY and Sonal in New Brunswick, NJ) The next stage of life for the Dighe family included a series of geographic moves as Ramesh’s engineering career took them from the NYC metro area to Miami, FL (2.5 years), Columbus, OH (1.5 years), Pueblo, CO (2 years), and Barstow, CA (2 years). At each stop, Suchita quickly became an integral part of their neighborhood and kids’ schools. She picked up new hobbies (disco dancing, macramé, painting, bowling) and more importantly, new friends. Suchita had the gift of making fast friendships with anyone she met (from neighbors to fellow parents to the clerk at the grocery store). A natural networker, it was common for Suchita to already have an established friend group within weeks of arriving in a new city. When the Dighe family moved to Miami, FL in late 1970s, Suchita was asked to lead and choreograph a troop of Indian dancers. Her group was awarded first prize at the 1979 South Florida International Cultural Dance competition. In January of 1985, the Dighe family moved to Texas, where Ramesh and Suchita would live for the next thirty-one years, initially in Houston and later in Austin. In Houston, Suchita continued to be an active presence in her children’s schools as a PTA volunteer. In 1986, Suchita launched her own business as an Avon representative. Her clients became her trusted friends as she served more in an advisory capacity than only an “Avon Lady.” Over the next 15 years, Suchita earned top salesperson performance recognition and was awarded the coveted President’s Club Albee Award each year. In 1990, Suchita was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. During her treatments, including an aggressive series of chemotherapy, Suchita continued to make friends with nurses and other patients, always displaying her distinguishing smile and positive attitude. In 1992 she was declared cancer-free, and she proudly wore the moniker of cancer- survivor for the rest of her life. In 2000, with their move to Austin, Suchita once again created a strong and dynamic friend circle. Over the next ten years, the couple traveled extensively to visit friends and family around the world. Trips to India intermixed with travel to visit their young granddaughters and occasional business travel for Ramesh, kept Suchita on the go. Unfortunately, it was during a trip to India in 2012 that Suchita was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The diagnosis brought clarity as it explained several of her health symptoms which were previously misdiagnosed, and it launched Suchita into another new group of friends. Suchita and Ramesh became active in the Austin Parkinson’s network, regularly attending dance and movement classes, and social/educational events and conferences. As with everything in life, Suchita took on the challenge of Parkinson’s with a smile and positive attitude. In 2016 with the arrival of their first grandson, Suchita and Ramesh left Texas and moved to Annapolis, MD to live with Sonal, her husband James, and eventually their two grandsons, Niam and Nevin. Suchita relished her role as a hands-on Aaji, and enjoyed spending time playing with the boys and teaching them her favorite Marathi children’s songs. Suchita and Ramesh again developed another peer community at the Annapolis Senior Center and local Parkinson’s group, participating in classes while connecting with people. In 2019, Suchita and Ramesh celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Joined by her three sisters and their husbands visiting from India, as well as their kids and grandkids, the couple visited Niagara Falls and NYC to fondly remember the life they had created for themselves and their impact on their family and friends. In January of 2020, Ramesh and Suchita took what would be their final trip together to India to attend two family weddings. The Covid-19 pandemic, along with a broken rib from a fall, and later a heart attack kept Suchita homebound from that point forward. Suchita entered hospice care in the fall of 2021 and on the evening of May 4, 2022 her spirit left her body. This valiant, beautiful woman with many names deeply impacted our lives in a strong and significant way. Suchita’s smile, her positive attitude, her adventurous spirit, her generosity, and her hospitality will live forever in our hearts.