Obituary of Shakti Nath Aryal

Shakti Nath Aryal, age 71, passed away on April 14, 2013 at 12:08pm in Arlington, VA, due to pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer, diagnosed only one month prior. He was born and raised in Kathmandu, Nepal and immigrated to the US in 1978 to pursue a teaching degree. His journey led him through Oklahoma, Michigan, Illinois and then finally to Oxford, MS where he spent the last 26 years. He was a business professor until his retirement in 2003 and then an interpreter thereafter, enabling him to do what he loved the most, talk to others and give free advice, whether or not they requested it. He is survived by his wife Usha, daughters Smita Sawyer of Charlotte, NC, and Prashanti Aryal of Arlington, VA; sons Ashish Aryal of Dallas, TX and Anuj Aryal of Augusta, GA. He is also survived by his sister Sushila Dixit, in Kathmandu, Nepal. He is survived by 7 grandchildren who surrounded him with hugs and kisses during his last days: Deven & Dillon, Surya & Anisha, Eva & Owen & his newest addition, Lola. Dad loved to keep company and made a point of knowing one phrase in almost every language. Sometimes we think he made stuff up but he always managed to make people laugh. We will miss his smile, his organization systems, his laughter and his love. He enjoyed playing soccer as a child and then as an adult, yelling at other people’s game, “GO, GO, GOAL”. It didn’t really matter who was playing; sometimes we weren’t even there. Sundays were spent watching Chicago Bears football with his boys, who fondly remember Dad screaming “shack ’em” at the television. He opened his house and heart to numerous students and friends, and taught us that family includes all the people in your life that you share a meal with. Over the years, he hosted numerous barbecues, New Year’s parties, Dhasain gatherings and potlucks, all the while entertaining us with spontaneous Nepali geet sessions. The cremation will be held on Friday, April 19, 2013 at 9:30am at Advent Funeral Home, 7211 Lee Highway, Falls Church, VA 22042 followed by a memorial service at the Atrium at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna, VA 22182 from 12-4pm.