Gunwant Kaur Sawhney

Born in Jammu, Kashmir to Krishna Kaur & Santokh Singh, Gunwant Kaur Sawhney was the fourth of five children. She grew up with her two sisters and two brothers in Rani Khet & Haldhwani. From childhood on, she was mischievous and playful, made friends wherever she went, and was a born artist. She was principled and determined. She loved to learn new things and throughout her life, she never gave up. Her faith in Waheguruji was apparent from a young age, steadfast and unwavering.

On December 5, 1966 she married Jagjodh Singh Sawhney, whom she had never met before, in Haldwani. She moved to Kota, Rajasthan after marriage, and lived in a joint, multigenerational family. She was the eldest daughter-in-law of the house, and was loved and cherished by all.

After having her three children, she moved to Orange County, California in 1981. She worked hard and started with humble beginnings in a factory, to help settle into a new country and set roots for her family. A short while later, she and her husband started a business, Papa’s Famous Hot Dogs. Her home was an open door, filled with love, laughter and a lot of family. Whatever she set her mind to do, she completed to the best of her abilities, often to perfection. She always made time to spend with her loved ones, from organizing chai picnics during the children’s swim lessons to shopping dates. Her home, no matter how big or small, was always known as “headquarters.”

In 1991, her creativity received a new outlet. The family purchased a new business, AAHS Gifts, and Gunwant expressed her artistic ability through creating trendy displays, layouts, and more. Gunwant was a dedicated and loving daughter and daughter-in-law. This phase, as all of her phases, was filled with love and happiness, and kicked off the next segment of her life as a loving mother-in-law.

Her two daughters-in-law and son-in-law brought her joy, and her relationships strengthened with them with every passing day. They were her children, and she was their mom. Her unrelenting resilience was even more prevalent after surviving tongue cancer in the mid 90s. She was unable to taste or eat food, but that did not deter her from cooking amazing meals right until the day she went to the hospital in August of 2022.

Her resilience came from her unwavering faith in Waheguru. She never found her circumstances to be limiting or unfortunate. On the contrary, she recognized and appreciated all of the blessings surrounding her.

The new millennium brought forth new adventures for Gunwant. She became a Dadi ji and Nani ji to seven amazing grandchildren - her partners in crime who kept her forever young. Her love of learning, and all things artistic and creative, flourished as the years went on. She took painting lessons to help hone her skills with different mediums, cooking lessons from cakes to salads and everything in between. She loved flowers and gardening, and cultivated an abundant fruit and vegetable garden.

No matter how busy or hectic life got, she and her husband of over 55 years, Jagjodh, always made time for each other. Their morning chai was never missed, a sacred time for both of them. Their bond as husband and wife was truly unbreakable, one of “ek jyot doye murti” in its truest form.

The canvas of her life is painted with true strength, principles, kindness, hard work, constant learning, and a lot of love. Throughout the journey of life, her principles were very clear. She believed that there was a proper way to do things, and that is how they should be done. She will be deeply missed, and her legacy will live on in all those who love her.