Neelam Verma MD

Her legacy of love, kindness, and unwavering support will forever resonate with those who had the privilege of knowing her. With a clever quiet sense of humor and an inquisitive smile reflected in her brown eyes, Neelam lived a life full of love, adventure and learning.

She enjoyed spending time engaging in her community with her friends, at the temple, exploring new places, stores, restaurants, and traveling. She traveled home to spend time with her family including her late-sister Prem Jindal in India, but also loved exploring, and traveled extensively domestically and internationally with her family and groups of friends. She never forgot her roots, which she shared with her children and grandchildren. Neelam was born and raised in poverty in Punjab India, and was daughter of Amrit Lal and Rattan Devi. She was one of three children (pre-deceased brother and sister), and with a dream, determination, and hard work, she pursued her dream to become a medical doctor at Lady Hardinge Medical College, and met her husband, Dr. Narayan Verma. They had three children. After their daughter, Arunima, was born, in New Delhi, they immigrated to the United States, and moved to Detroit leaving behind a family who they remained very close with. As a family of three, they embarked on a new country, language and culture together. Neelam completed her Psychiatry Residency and Fellowship, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University. Moving throughout Detroit, then settling in Grosse Pointe. Neelam had two sons, Ankur and Akshay in Detroit. Though there was an age gap between her children, she nurtured their bond and was the golden thread for a close-knit family.

Neelam was also known as beloved, Dr. Verma to her patients, who she enjoyed caring for 46 years as a devoted Geriatric Psychiatrist of Macomb County, and she retired only 3 months prior to her death. She was also an incredible mother, mother-in-law, dog mom, and beloved by many nieces, nephews, uncles, aunts and cousins. Her only daughter, Arunima, is forever grateful that she taught her self-awareness, spirituality, emotional strength, and perseverance, despite any circumstances. With her son, Ankur, played weekly games of Ticket to Ride, even when he was living in Chicago, taught him to cherish birthdays, and he always looked forward to eating her delicious omelets when he visited her. Neelam helped nurture her son, Akshay’s love for reading and animals from a young age. Her grandchildren, Sonya, Shyla, and Sabina, loved learning cooking, culture, Hindi, and games from her. They will miss her fun-loving and free-spirited nature, and will forever treasure her birthday and Diwali celebrations.

Neelam will be remembered for her generous nature, and was an avid philanthropist and supporter of Lady Hardinge School of Medicine (New Delhi) Bharatiya Temple, OUWB School of Medicine and ULS, among numerous charities and loving doctor of numerous grateful patients.

She enjoyed travels to Asia, Korea, Japan, India, Tahiti, Europe, Mexico, Canada and within the United States, amongst many others. A uniquely honest, spiritual woman of simple pleasures, she found solace with her career, travels, family and friends. She took great pride in cooking fresh foods, gardening, yoga, meditation, walks in nature, dancing in the multitude of Indian parties she single-handedly hosted and attended, and in spending time with her husband, children and grandchildren.

Her love language was food. Neelam made all different foods, enjoyed trying to prepare new types of foods, but her favorites were home cooked Indian dinners, which she loved sharing with her family and friends. She will be remembered for her festive get-togethers with friends and family, as well as intimate family dinners and celebrations. She deeply enjoyed entertaining friends and learning with her spiritual community- at home, in the temple and beyond.