SR0458 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0458 LRB101 12467 MST 61179 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Dr. Shobha Deven Parikh of Chicago, who passed away on June 2, 2018; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Parikh was born to Kanaiyalal and Kapilaben Shah on November 27, 1944; from an early age, she knew she wanted to help people; she was accepted into a medical school where English was spoken and learned both English and medicine simultaneously; and

WHEREAS, As an Emergency Room and Family Physician, Dr. Parikh worked for many hospitals around Chicago, including Mt. Sinai Hospital, Mercy Hospital, Ravenswood Hospital, Swedish Covenant Hospital, and Christ Memorial Hospital; she became one of the first female Indian doctors on Devon Avenue when she opened a clinic in 1981; she cared for more than 150,000 patients during her 37-year career and treated the Indian community like they were a part of her family; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Parikh hosted hundreds of spiritual events for the Indian community, was a member of cultural organizations, including Gujarati Samaj and Swadhyay, supported area senior centers, and generously donated to charity; she also worked extra jobs to bring her siblings and parents to America; she enjoyed drawing and cooking and was a fan of Julia Roberts; her greatest joy was her family, whom she served with love and care; she especially enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Parikh's loved ones have established a not-for-profit organization in Illinois, The Shobha Foundation, to honor her legacy in support of cancer research, women's rights, and education in the United States and abroad; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Parikh was preceded in death by her parents; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Parikh is survived by her husband of 46 years, Deven Parikh; her children, Parul Cheriyan, Dr. Rupak Parikh, Parag Parikh, and Dr. Roshan Shah; her grandchildren, Riya and Sarina Cheriyan; her mother-in-law, Dhangauriben Parikh; her son-in-law, Thomas Cheriyan; her daughter-in-law, Nancy To; her siblings, Prabodh Shah, Dilip Shah, Dr. Pankaj Shah, and Nikunj Talati; her brother-in-law, Dr. Kiran Talati; her sisters-in-law, Bharati P. Shah, Hemangini Shah, and Jagruti Shah; and her extended family and friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Dr. Shobha Deven Parikh and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Dr. Parikh as an expression of our deepest sympathy.