extremely saddened by the sad news . my deepest sympathies with Neena Aunty and family. regards

Remembrance from the Celebration of Life on 8/11/19

Hello, my name is Anne. I am Prafulla's daughter in law and Ashish's wife.

Ashish introduced me as his girlfriend 17 years ago to his parents. Many of you here have known Papa for longer than 17 years, but as you all know, it only takes a very short time to love him. For me, it only took hours. I clearly remember when it happened...

Ashish and I had a date night at Mom and Papa's house. They went to a party. We decided to make dinner, but forgot to shut off one of the burners and melted the grill rack on the stove. At that moment, I knew I just lost a boyfriend. We paced and waited for Mom and Papa to return home. When they did, Papa sat us down and stared at us for a long time, making the suspense ever so long. He suddenly put up his finger and I winced. And then he said "Safety first betchas. Safety first. Glad you all are safe. We will worry about replacing the stove in the morning." He got up, strode off, and bid us goodnight.

In that instance, some points ran through my mind about Papa:
#1 - Spoken like a true engineer
#2 - He's patient, generous, and only cared for your well being.
#3 - He's in your corner.
#4 - He was not going to make Ashish dump me.

And from that moment on, he was my 2nd father. I have a soft spot in my heart for Papa. Ashish knew he could call a "Prafulla" on me if he wanted me to agree to something I usually wouldn't. He would say "Well, Papa would like it." And then, I'd agree to whatever it is just to make Papa happy. Sometimes I suspect Mom knows that too...but she's always been so kind as to not call a "Prafulla" on me often.

He believed in challenging yourself for the better. He welcomed people no matter what. He told the funniest and sometimes the corniest jokes. He loved his wife and children with all his heart. He was always able to help you see the bigger picture and where the battles make the war. As my bother said, "He made the best darn, burnt fried rice." He was always in the know on tech, politics, and news. He rarely spoke ill of anyone. He was intelligent and thoughtful. He was a wonderful father, husband, father in law, grandfather, friend, and human being.

I'm reminded of a quote from Richard Matheson that sums up how I feel about Papa's presence in my life. "Thank you...Thank you for gracing my life with your lovely presence, for adding sweet measure of your soul to my existence."

I struggled to put my thoughts above from pen to paper (or nowadays, finger to cell phone) and stayed up late last night and willed myself to do it. Mainly because to write this, it felt that I was finally admitting that I won't see him again. He was the quiet, gentle strength that sat in a room and we all could feel it in his presence. But that strength is not gone nor lost, it is now everywhere around us no matter the distance or coordinates. Thank you Papa for sharing this with us. We love you.

Deeply saddened and shocked by the tough news of Mr. Prafulla Tripathi leaving us on his heavenly abode. Condolences to the entire Tripathi Family and especially Neena Ma’am.

I was fortunate enough to meet and help Mr. & Mrs. Tripathi when the times were really tough for them. However, found Mr. Prafulla Tripathi to be bridging that gap very well by being calm and composed.
Personification of true support for his wife and her family, a trait what we as youngsters can just dream of achieving in a relationship.

I am glad I was able to strike some interesting conversations with Mr. Prafulla Tripathi who definitely was far ahead in terms of my intellect. As a common attribute, people with so much knowledge do not listen; on the contrary, he was a keen listener and understood different views well. We shared a common passion of travel and connected well with travel stories with whatever little I have travelled in my life. Although we knew each other professionally however, from within it felt that we connected as if we are family.

From the day I heard about this terrible news his beaming face with a gentle smile crosses my thoughts every now and then. I can imagine it would be very tough for the close family to lose someone precious like Mr. Prafulla Tripathi.

Looking at the collection of pictures, I must say what a great life he lead, a source of inspiration for people of my age.

Due to distance, I was unable to meet the family & share the grief. However, through my prayers and thoughts I would like to bridge that gap and would request Almighty to grant them strength to endure the pain of losing someone as pure as Mr. Prafulla Tripathi. May the departed soul achieve the highest abode.  

“Death is nothing else but going home to God, the bond of love will be unbroken for all eternity. –Mother Teresa"

Puneet Oberoi

Eulogy rendered at the Funeral on August 12, 2019 by Ritu Behari
My name is Ritu Behari and I am a close friend of the family. When I was asked by the family to say a few words about Praful I gladly accepted this honor. But as I sat down to write and collect my thoughts I was assaulted by so many memories that I was overwhelmed. Then the tears started to flow. So, I took a deep breath, and as I read the invitation the word CELEBRATION jumped out at me. And I said to myself That’s what it is. It is a Celebration. It is a celebration of a man we all loved so much, a man who was refined, debonair and sophisticated, a man who was genuine, gentle, affectionate, sincere and oh so caring.
Praful was a man who loved to laugh, never exhibited any doom or gloom so my memories of him are full of laughter
Memories… of beautiful evenings of the 4 of us..... when we would just sit round the kitchen table and discuss art, literature, politics or travel. These discussions, were made more enticing by Neena serving us delicious aloo ka paratha and red or white wine.
Memory….. of fine dining in our fav restaurant s in Houston during Valentines Day, Anniversaries, birthdays or other occasions. During those dinners Praful would always try to get me to start drinking red wine when he knew I preferred white wine. I can still hear him say... Ritu, why don’t you start with Merlot or Malbec. I would look at him, decline the offer and order a glass of Pinot gricio.
It is hard to believe that we will not see him again. While we miss him every day we have to believe he is in a better place looking down at us and smiling as we talk about him.
So this evening as I step out in my garden to rest and relax I will look up at the brightest star in the sky and say... hey Praful, how are u my friend. Pl don’t worry about Neena and the family. And from the Great Beyond I will hear Praful say back to me.... Hey Ritu, I trust my friends, I know they will take care of my family. But Ritu, can you please start drinking my favorite red wines. This time I will look up and say.... yes, Praful, this week when I go out I will look at the server and say ..Red wine, please. We miss you. And Praful, please remember U r not gone and not forgotten. You live in our hearts forever.
Ritu Behari

There are no words to express my sorrow in the loss of my dearest friend Praful. Our hearts go out to Praful’s family, Neena, Priya, Vinny, Ashish, Ann and the children.

My wife Ritu and I met Praful and Neena about 27 years ago when we moved to Houston from Denver and the connection was immediate. He was not only my dearest and closest friend; he was more like my elder brother. Many evenings the 4 of us would meet for dinner, try out new restaurants and laugh and talk late into the night. Praful and I had a lot in common as we both were Chemical Engineer and worked in oil and gas industries.

Those who know Praful know that he loved and enjoyed the good life. He loved a great glass of red wine, and whenever he came to our house for dinner, I would make sure I had plenty of good red wine for him. Praful was always life of the party.

Upon his retirement, Praful and Neena began touring and seeing the world. They were in Belgrade when Praful got sick and finally passed away in England. We talked to Praful a day before he was admitted to the Emergency hospital and still, I can’t believe that was our last conversation. Even then he laughed and tried to be in good spirits.

Just after his funeral in London, I saw him in my dream. He was there talking to my grandfather and others in heaven, and I had to smile because even there I could see that he had quickly become the life of the party.

Praful. He was a good husband, a good father, a good grand father and a good friend. We have lost a very fine gentleman. His spirit continues to live in our hearts and in the many memories we have together. 

To Neena and the kids, you are a part of our family and we will always be there for you. Let’s celebrate the life Praful lived. Let’s laugh like he did. Let’s talk like he did. And most of all, let’s remember the good times we’ve shared as a family.

God bless Praful and the Tripathy family.

Shyam Behari

Very sad, shocking and untimely news of Mr. Prafulji leaving for his heavenly abode in a foreign country away from all of us. One only thinks, Wish we could be there with dear Neena and family to help & support.
May Almighty grant peace to his soul. Wish and pray for strength and courage to dear Neena, Ashish, Priya and entire family to bear this tragic loss.
I knew Dr. Gopal Tripathi Uncle in BHU as my local guardian’s close friend. I met both every weekend. I never thought I would come to Houston and meet both Mr. Prafulji and Neena, very wonderful, helpful persons.
Our thoughts and prayers for the family.
With regards,
Sharda and Ram Mehdiratta

Prafulji’s father Gopal Tripathi was head of department of the Chem Engineering department and taught us Transport Phenomena when I was at BHU-IT. 

Regards,

Somesh

Absolutely very shocking news of Dear Prafull Trpathi’s passing away. His loss to Neena, entire family and friends is irreplacable.
I had a special regard for him. His roots were from Barhaj, Deoria; a very small town to which I also belong. I was attracted to BHU because of his father, Dr Gopal Tripathi, who was a pride for Barhaj.
When we moved to Houston, it was natural we became good friends. So many fond memories.
Aruna and I wish Neena and entire family to regain peace as soon as possible.

Santosh & Aruna Kedia

Dear Friends,
I am extremely shocked to get the saddest news of the untimely demise of our very revered senior and family friend Mr Prafulla Tripathi.
I pray to God to provide complete peace to the departed soul of Mr Prafulla Tripathiji in his heavenly abode.
I also pray to God to give enough strength and courage to our respected Mrs. Neena Tripathi Bhabhiji and his children and all the bereaved families, relatives and friends to bear this unbearable and irreversible loss which has created a big vacuum for all of us.
I join the bereaved families while mourning.
With very heavy hearts,
Lallan Singh & families.

Learned about Praful Ji and ever since I have picture of our meeting at shiv sagar in front of me. Nina Ji let me know if I can be any help. He may have gone but his legacy is in Houston as founder of BHU association.
Devendra& Asha

My dear Neena

I had a card to send you but couldn't find your address anywhere for some reason. So instead of delaying further, please accept this pathetic email as a substitute.

I know you are grieving and really feeling a void and an ache. You and Prafulla had a long and happy journey together and I know you must be grateful for that. I only wish it had not happened so suddenly. I can only imagine the complications.  Believe me when I tell you that down the road you will be glad that Prafulla didn't suffer a long time. Right now, it makes no difference because whatever the reason, he is gone and it is hard to accept this shocking truth. I wish I could be there to be of any comfort to you. 

Unfortunately both of my siblings are in health crisis. I had a nice and possibly final visit with my sister in New Mexico to celebrate her 70th birthday and she had a very happy and fulfilling day July 12 with all her kids and grandkids. I left the next morning and that night she took a bad turn. Long story short she is now on hospice. I am so grateful for the joy of that last birthday together.  

Meanwhile my brother (whose wife is also on home hospice) had lung surgery and is still in hospital in Waco. His birthday is this weekend so I will be going there to celebrate his 64th, as weak and feeble as he is. I am very worried about their situation and will do what I can. I hope it's not also my last visit - just not sure.

When I got the message about "Paul's" death, I wanted nothing more than to come and see all of you and honor him on Sunday. But it is not meant to be. 

Please know how grateful I will always be to you and your family for so many things: like back in 2006 when I came to Houston for Ashish & Ann's wedding and my mom passed, you were so kind and let me just sit with it; when you showed up for Shekhar and me in managing his Hindu services in Austin - I was at a total loss. I will never forget your kindness and understanding. And also how you warned me about certain people after his family left - that was hard for me to hear but good advice, and I love you for it. At that time my heart was both empty and full - it's difficult to describe but maybe you know what I mean.

You have seen me thru some hard times and I so wanted to be there for you. Unfortunately, I do know that when the excitement dies down and the friends and family go back to routines, yours will be different. It's tough and I get it, but there is some comfort in knowing that you won't always feel as lousy as you do right now.

I want to get to Houston and when I do, I hope we will get a chance to sit and have a nice long chat. I have some tears to shed with you and I know you understand that well enough. I hope we have some laughs to share too. Memories are good that way.

I am praying to some gods somewhere for you all, and I hope you take courage and strength from all the love that your friends shower on you. Please give my regards to Priya, Vinny, Ashish and Ann as well. I wanted to see the grandkids - the pictures of them on Paul's site made me realize how long it's been.

Sending love and empathy - you are so very special to me. 
--
Diane Christopherson c

Dear Neena, Just last night I got the sad news from Pooran re Prafulla’s demise.May Pramatma bless his soul and give strength to the family.Our prayers are with you.Kind Regards, Gurcharan.

Dear Neena Bua,
We learnt the sad news from Diane. Please accept our heartfelt condolences.

Words are inadequate to convey one's feelings on such occasions, and the loss to his family and friends is irreconcilable. We have such good memories, though brief, of Phupha, his serenity, good humour and humanity.

May God rest his soul in peace and give strength to his family to deal with this loss.

Poonam and Bunty

Dear Neena,

Vanita and I are very sad to receive the news of Prafulla passing away. Our deepest heartfelt condolences to you and the family. He was a very fine gentleman and we will miss him very much. May God rest his soul in heavenly peace and give strength to you all to bear this heavy loss.

Vijay and Vanita Bhagi

Dear neena.
I want to convey my thoughts and condolences on bhai sahib sudden 
passing. It is shocking. My thoughts are with you. My cell number is 
647 202 8358. I will give you a call later. If there is anything I 
could do?
I am phoola s friend in Toronto Canada.
Kind regards
Pama arora.

Dear Neena Ji

We are very sorry to hear about the untimely passing away of Bhai Sahib. You are in our thoughts, we pray to God that Bhai Sahib’s soul Rest In Peace and God gives you courage to bear this loss.

Manjit/ Navtej

Avinder Singh
What can I write about Prafulla, he came into my life as a young, shy, quiet man in his thirties to marry my best friend. I a total extrovert and he a total introvert. My teasing pulling his leg always was answered by a shy smile. Whenever we sat and talked he always told me how much he looked forward to his visits to India. A friend in the true sense when my daughter was getting married and I was missing the presence of my husband, He and Neena were by side 10 days before the wedding to give me the moral and emotional support which I strongly needed at that time.  HE was a gem of a person silently looming behind as a Rock of Gibraltar. Prafulla I miss you and pray that wherever you are you again smiling down and enjoying. RIP Prafulla

Prafulla phupha relaxing in his favourite armchair, a gentle smile on his face, or beaming benignly upon everyone: the image is indelibly imprinted on our minds’ eye.

A man of few but relevant and meaningful words, there was a keen and active mind behind the veneer of being laid back.

Even though our meetings were few and far between, you left a lasting impression on us.

In the fantasy world of wishful thinking we picture you holding endless discussions with Shekhar in a world of eternal peace and bliss.

Rashmi (Poonam) & Pankaj (Bunty)

Our association with Perful and Neena has been 40 years long, though we met occasionally it was always very warm and loving. His gentle smile would put anyone at ease immediately. We will miss him.
Our sincere condolence to the family. God Bless his soul.
Rashmi & Sunil Sahay

With prayers & fond memories I remember the noble soul that Jijaji was.
A fountainhead of knowledge & inspiration, whose company one always cherished.
A personal loss & void which would never get filled for me.
May the almighty give strength to all near & dear ones to bear this irrepairable loss.
Jijaji may you rest in peace .....

We are truly saddened to lose our dear friend Tripathi Ji. He was a sincere gentleman, and we will miss him immensely. He was a man of few words and spoke every word kindly and eloquently. He always had words of encouragement for others, and he treated everyone with utmost respect. We still remember our fun dinner outing at the City Center. We will miss him. May his noble soul rest in peace !

Ganesh & Pushpa 

Jeejaji was our friend , philosopher and guide . He was always pleasant , energetic and great company . He was knowledgeable and a great listener . Everyone in the family looked up to him for his opinion and advice. He had ‘GQ’ elegance ! He was a perfect blend of being traditional with a modern outlook . Once we took a trip to New Orleans and there Jeejaji took it upon himself to give us a great time , taking us to all his favourite places. How much fun we had ! His love for tea was legendary , and we always had interesting chats while having our morning tea . He loved meeting people and celebrating life . He was our role model. Wish he had been with us longer . He has left a void in our lives and will be deeply missed . May God give strength to didi and the children.

I and Praful had a couple of common things to talk about. Praful and I , both Chemical Engineers and worked for Shell lubricant. I met Praful and Neena in June this year at graduation ceremony of Krisha Tripthy .
. We talked about our expenses in Shell.

I was shocked to hear he passed away unexpectedly. My condolences to his wife and family. Praful Rest In Peace my friend.

Narayan Hospeti

Best flower always picked up first! Tripathi ji always remain in our memories! We all definitely miss his company, his simplicity, sense of humor, intelligent political discussions! May God help the family to endure such a tragic loss!
With ❤️ Manju& Subhash

Took me few days to gather courage to write Parafull Bhai( was )as in my mind just few weeks back we met Neena and Prafull Bhai at a common friend, s dinner Neena looking beautiful and Prafull Bhai dashing ,laughing smiling joking and parting with promise to meet soon .
Little did I know it was our last meeting . On hearing Prafull Bhais sudden illness we prayed hard and hoped we will soon meet in Houston.
Hard to believe me and Afzal won’t be able to see Prafull Bhai his smiling most gentle and kind face and humble personality will forever be in our memories . He was a great host always extending help to Neena and making us feel at home so soft spoken and gentle in his discussions so attentive when you spoke to him loved all the Hyderabadi cooking i served . We always enjoyed seeing his enthusiasm and pride in Neena when she would start to sing a song . We made countless memories in a couple of years which we will cherish forever. Rest In Peace Prafull Bhai we were blessed to have known you .

Prafulla bhaiya left us very suddenly. Who would have thought his life would end this way unexpectedly while vacationing, as he had travelled widely to various places over the years. We last saw him in early June this year at my younger daughter's high school graduation celebration.
I clearly remember how much he loved a salmon dish I had made for him, and he kept on reminding Neena Didi to get that recipe from me - since it was simple and healthy.
He will always be remembered with love as a gentle, soft spoken, intelligent person who can carry any conversation and be engaged. To me and my family he was very special and we looked up to him with love and respect. I have known Prafulla bhaiya since I first came to this country in early 1980s' and both Neena Didi & bhaiya gracefully introduced me to several of their close friends & Houstonians. I have seen Priya and Ashish grow; so this is very dear to me & my family. Neena didi & Prafulla bhaiya have been our role models and although we will not be able to see him in person, he will always be in our minds and hearts.

~Ashok & Reena
 Mallika & Krisha

In Loving Memory of a Dearest Guru, Bhai, An Adorable Friend, ... Shri Prafulla Tripathi
Life is a journey marked by many incidences. Some are special like Finding Love, Raising Family, Meeting Friends. We were fortunate to meet a friend like You, Reminding us Always, how contented life is, if lived at it fullest. Your serene Smile remains with us always, as if we talked with you just now
Shiv & Pushpa

We always enjoyed the swee company of Dear Prafulla.His lively talk and lovable nature we can never forget.His sudden departure to heavenly abode , creates big void in our friend circle. May his noble soul lives in peace.- Rajendra and Laxmi

We will always miss Prafullaji in our family friend gatherings. We will always remember his smile, jokes, and political discussions. His passing was very unexpected. Sincere condolences to Neena Ji and family members.
Prakash and Neeta Sinha

We are deeply saddened by Uncle Praful's passing. He was a kind and gentle soul. I remember throughout the years watching him and seeing him smile always warmed my heart. He was usually quiet, but when you least expected it, he would make a joke that would make the whole room roar with laughter. I'm going to miss seeing him during Thanksgiving sitting in his chair sipping wine and enjoying himself. He was truly a wonderful man and it breaks our heart that he has left this world.
A person that departs from this earth never truly leaves, for they are still alive in our hearts and minds, through us, they live on. Please accept our condolences, he will not be forgotten. We are truly blessed to have known you and will truly miss you.

Love,
Lee, Tim, and Kieran.

Our association ,though brief and far between,endeared Prafulla to all of us.His sunny disposition and cheerful smile will always enrich our memories.A dear friend lost in the mists of time too early

May our Lord comfort you and your loved ones. I know that what you are going through right now is very difficult, just know that I am here for you. I am truly sorry for your loss. I would like to offer you and your family our deepest and most sincere condolences and may the soul of Praffula ji rest in peace. August 1

Richard and I were saddened to hear of Prafulla’s passing. We hold fond memories of our trip to China when we were lucky enough to meet and spend time with Prafulla and Neena on the river cruise. Over the years we have kept in touch, visits to Houston, visits to Calgary. It is always wonderful to connect with friends and share our life’s adventures. Prafulla had many wonderful adventures and lived a full and rewarding life and was loved by many. He shall be sadly missed. Our hearts are with Neena and family during this sad time.

Dear Tripathi Saheb you will always be remembered in our hearts. Your soft voice with smiling Face will never fade away.
Rama and Naveen

Kind, generous and a true gentleman is the only way to describe Prafull Bhaisaheb. Avinash and I met him and Neena in 2007 and as the time passed we became very good friends. We enjoyed our dinners together, discussed travels and politics and many other topics, played Canasta. He had not played cards before but he was such a good sport, he learned to play. I also remember how much he loved sweet saffron rice. He once said that it reminded him of his childhood and I am glad I could make it for him. We wish we had more time with you. Our prayers are with Neena and family. we will always miss you . Rest in peace.

'Ujale apni yaado ke hamare saath rahane do, na jane kab dosto ko iski jaroorat pad jaye"


Tilu and Avinash

We are very much grieved to hear this sad news. His visit to Saroj was always inspirational and hope for future with old memories. We pray God to bless his soul to rest in peace and give strength and courage to family members. Our sincere condolences to Neena Ji and family members.

Remembering Prafulla – gone too soon.
Our Dear friend Prafulla was a genuine, thorough gentleman. Prafulla was very intelligent and graceful. He never hurt anyone or talked ill of anyone – he was above that. You could sit down with him and have long, pleasant discussion on almost any subject and not get bored. He would patiently explain his point of view.
We want to remember him by cherishing the memories of so many celebrations we had, so many travels around the world we took together. We want to remember him by thinking about the great time and fun we had sipping cups after cups of tea just chatting on any subject, walking the beaches and glaciers together, trekking the mountains and volcanos, walking among the penguins and the wilds of African safari.
We want to remember him by cherishing the last moments we had together sitting in the lounge at the Athens airport minutes before their flight to Belgrade on June 30.
Rest in Peace dear Prafulla. Pratima & Pooran

No words can describe how sorry I am for your loss. Very sad for me I will never met the guy I try so hard to help him in Serbia.

We had the pleasure of traveling with Prafulla and Nina while touring Japan in April 2o17. It was a two week trip but when we parted I felt that Prafulla was a bosom friend whom I had known for a long time. He was soft spoken, gentle and pleasant with great intellect. We were looking forward to traveling with him and Nina in the future but his leaving us has been a great shock to me personally.

He was a class act and may his soul rest in peace.

Sawan ki fiza me patjhar si andhi gumsudha hai, Manke kisi Kone me ik sannata hai , Niyati ke is jhanjhawat se kahu to kya? Aye mere bhai yun Gaye ki ab awaz doo kise? Apane Somya byaktitwa se hum sabko apnapan ka ehasas tho Jataya , in muskarahato me ansu kun bhar aye mere bhai app SadaVe Yado me sath rahoge, sadave yado me sath rahoge. We pray for your etearnal peace. A heart felt condolence to a dear brother, a freind with our heavy heart “ PrAfull  Chandra Tripathi” and his femily . Reeta& R.prasad

It is precious difficult, well nigh impossible, to express in few words a life time association. Prafulla bhai saheb was an elder brother, a friend and an inspiration all rolled into one. We shall always remember his smile, his loving and caring nature, his quiet concern for us and of course his sense of humour and jovial nature. He left so suddenly one did not get the opportunity to say good bye but that was him, always full of surprises. We love you bhai saheb and shall always miss you. May you rest in peace. Dipti and Prabodh

A gentleman indeed. He was gentle in spirit, gentle in humor, and a ready gentle smile to go with it. A man of great intelligence and thoughtfulness and love. He and Mrs. Tripathi always made anyone who was near feel welcome and like a part of their family. We were blessed to have known you. We will miss you!

I am so sad to know that this wonderful man will no longer be traveling hand-in-hand with Neena all over the world. But I am grateful to have known him through Shekhar Govind many years ago. I loved talking over the politics of the day and engaging that wonderful smile of his; and waiting for his words that he so carefully chose each time he spoke. Neena and Prafulla always made me feel welcome into their home. I wish I could speak for Shekhar but who could do that? I can only say that he loved you and would have been there for all of you Neena, Priya and Ashish during this time. He probably is.

R.I.P Mausaji. We will always remember you as a calm and intelligent soul. I still remember our last meeting and you complementing me on the kurta I wore.Pranam!

Yash & Anshita