Friends, relatives and community members came together at Gurdwara Guru Tegh Bahadar Sahib on St Marks Road to celebrate the life of Sheela Kaur, who died on June 18, aged 86.
Sheela’s coffin after being placed in a horse-drawn carriage (Image: Amritraj Singh)
Her son, Mann Singh, said: “She was a mother to everyone in Southampton and was well loved by the Sikh community.”
The service, which drew hundreds of attendees from across the country, reflected the impact she had after arriving in the city in the late 1950s.
Sheela settled in Southampton, having been born in what is now Pakistan and living through Partition.
Pritheepal Singh, correspondent secretary for the Council of Southampton Gurdwaras, said: “We have lost a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother.
“She was a beautiful soul, she was kind and generous and was always supporting the family and beyond. May god bless her.”
An open-casket service saw mourners grow emotional as they paid their respects before her coffin was carried to a horse-drawn carriage for the journey to Southampton Crematorium.
Funeral attendees walking with the coffin to Southampton Crematorium (Image: Amritraj Singh)
A funeral procession followed, with a convoy of cars carrying family members alongside a horse-drawn carriage and a Hummer limousine making its way towards the crematorium.
Her eldest granddaughter, Satvir Kaur, who lived with her for 15 years before moving out, said she was the first person to open the door to her new home – a memory she will always cherish.
She said: “She was a strong woman and a fighter with the biggest heart.
“To witness so many generations is an incredible blessing and a legacy that very few are fortunate enough to leave behind.”
Sheela’s son and grandchildren. Left to right – Satvir Kaur, Mann Roath, Harisinder Roath and Kirpal Kaur (Image: NQ)
Another of Sheela’s granddaughters, Kirpal Kaur, said: “She was amazing. She was a support network for all of us – not just her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but our extended family and the wider community as well.
“She was always there to support, advise and comfort people when they needed it. Her smile could light up a room, and so could her voice – you could hear her from down the road. She was loud but she was a legend.”
Her grandson Gurjeet Singh added: “It’s crazy to see how many people she pulled together for her funeral. Most if not all members of the Gurdwara are here to say goodbye.”
Slamt Singh and Gurjet Singh (Image: Amritraj Singh)
Sheela leaves behind eight children, 41 grandchildren, 61 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson with her legacy spanning five generations.
