Obituary of Nabanita Sarkar

September 7, 1946 – Kolkata, India

October 11, 2024 – Calgary, Alberta

Nabanita Sarkar was born on September 7, 1946, in Kolkata, India, and passed away after a sudden decline in her health on Friday, October 11, 2024, at 11:45 p.m. She was surrounded, held, and loved by her husband Chandra Sarkar, daughter Barnali Sarkar, son-in-law Tony Bose, grandson Aneek Sarkar Bose, and a few of her close loved ones beside her. Nabanita took her last breath and went to be with our Supreme Being; she was 78 years old.

She came from a very large, extended Bengali family. She was predeceased by her father Amiya Lal Ghose, mother Bela Ghose, eldest brother Ajoy Ghose, younger brother Aloke Ghose, and younger sister Madhumita Roy. She was fondly referred to as “Nita” by her friends, “Bulti” by her extended family, “Bultu” by her husband, “Mago” by her daughter and son-in-law, and “Nani” by her grandson.

Nabanita was an English graduate and studied at the renowned Loreto College, Kolkata. She proudly held the school spirit of Loreto and would often tell her family that her vocabulary in the English language was more far advanced than the current English taught at schools today.

Nabanita and Chandra married on January 15, 1974. They were blessed to be together for over fifty years and celebrated each phase of life with love, devotion, and loyalty to one another. Primarily, most of their years were in Calgary, where they built a life together surrounded by family, friends, and community.

She was the “entrepreneur” of the family. From the very beginning of her married life, Nabanita loved business where she could have an impact on the development of young children. She loved spending time with children, doing arts and crafts, engaging them in roleplaying, teaching music, and most importantly, nurturing them. To enhance her education, she studied at Mount Royal University, where she earned her Early Childhood Education diploma. During this period, she went on to open multiple preschools and enjoyed every moment of this journey.

She was a woman who continuously believed in enhancing oneself. She believed and taught her daughter that there will never be a final situation, as what you feel today will be different from what you feel tomorrow. As a result, you must continue to grow and evolve! Therefore, understanding that she needed to move on to a new platform from teaching children, she went on to study real estate and became a successful realtor for a few years. She then proceeded to become a professionally trained florist and opened a floral business, “Creative Flowers”, and for many years, designed arrangements for weddings, events, and conferences. Later, she took the floral training to a new level and pursued the study of Interior Design, working as an interior designer. She was given the opportunity to teach Introduction to Interior Design at Mount Royal University for two years. As her final career choice, she was the owner and backbone of RRP. Many believed it was Chandra who created RRP, but behind every strong man, there is a stronger woman.

Nabanita was an exemplary wife, mother, and human being. She embodied the best of qualities: unconditional love, strength of spirit, and a never-ending generosity. Regardless of any setbacks in her life, she was fiercely resilient, never allowing her limitations to dictate her spirit and experiences. She lived life to the fullest, always encouraging her family to move forward, never giving up. She was an inspiration to all those who knew her.

Nabanita loved entertaining and pursuing her culinary passion, travelling, interior design, celebrating festivals, gardening, and being with her family. She also loved WhatsApp; particularly to send and receive motivational quotes.

She will be remembered for her unwavering compassion, empathy, kindness, authenticity, class, and style. She was a true representation of her culture and will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has offered support during this difficult time, with special thanks to the Sri Anagha Datta Society of Calgary and the Bengali community that enriched Nabanita's life.

Her departure comes as a great shock and a deep wound, and it is gravely felt by her entire family and countless others who loved her deeply.

Funeral Services will be held at McInnis & Holloway (Chapel of the Bells, 2720 Centre Street N, Calgary, AB) on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. Reception to follow in the Hospitality Centre at the Funeral Home.

Family and friends who are unable to attend in person are invited to join Mrs. Sarkar’s service streamed live (see link below) on the day of the service. For those who are unable to view live, a recording of the service will be posted.

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Nabanita’s family here.

In living memory of Nabanita Sarkar, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 Centre Street North, Calgary, AB T2E 2V6, Telephone: 403-276-2296.

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