Obituary of Jayshree Ramesh Mehta

On June 20th, 2024, Jayshree Mehta, a loving daughter, sister, mother, and grandmother, passed away after her four year battle with cancer at the age of seventy-six. Jayshree leaves a strong legacy of faith, devotion, hard work, and dedication to her three children, Amish, Purnima, and Rakesh plus four beautiful and gifted grandchildren Neal, Lotus, Michael, and Maalika. 

Jayshree was born on August 29th, 1947, in Savarkundla, India, to parents Puriben and Vrajlal Mehta. Jayshree moved with her family to Mauva, India at 12. Jayshree completed her primary education in India. In 1968, Jayshree married Rameshchandra Mehta from Mumbai. After marriage, Jayshree moved from her parent's home in Gujarat to her in-law's home in Mumbai where her husband, Ramesh, worked as a bank manager. During that time, Jayshree developed a close kinship with her sister-in-law, Kumudben, and Ramesh’s younger brothers, Harkant and Hemant. On April 7th, 1970, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy, whom they named Amish. Two years later, on March 29, 1972, Jayshree gave birth to a lovely baby girl, Purnima. They resided in Vile Parle West, India. 

A couple of years after the birth of her two children, Ramesh moved to the United States to pursue an advanced degree at Fort Hays State University. In 1977, the family joined Ramesh in the US and settled in Brooklyn, New York. A few years later, Jayshree celebrated the arrival of her youngest son,  Rakesh, while staying with family in Los Angeles, California. 

Jayshree was a stay-at-home mom who enjoyed caring for her children. Over the years, Jayshree learned to read, write, and gain fluency in English through literacy courses at  the local Brooklyn Public Library, conversing with neighbors, and actively engaging with her children’s academic studies. In her spare time, Jayshree provided childcare to several neighborhood families, developing lifelong friends. To support her passion for children, Jayshree gained several certifications including in CPR, childcare, and more.  Jayshree and Ramesh eventually moved to Forest Hills, Queens, where they lived for 30 years. 

Jayshree was a dedicated mother and always put her children's needs before hers. She fostered a sense of responsibility and the value of hard work and dedication in their lives. All three of her children have graduated from strong academic institutions including  New York University, Columbia University, and Binghamton University. They are all successful professionals, Amish is a Partner in a national accounting firm, Rakesh is a Dean in the New York City school system, and Purnima is currently the Director of Career Development in the City University of New York (CUNY) system.  

In her later years, Jayshree remained active and loved walking daily and exercising at the park in the evenings. She cooked healthy, fresh vegetarian meals that her children and grandkids would rave about for days. She always went out of her way to help a friend or neighbor in need. She has helped many women find jobs in the community. She also gave support to neighboring business owners. Jayshree was well known and liked in the Clinton Hills and Forest Hills communities and always had a kind word and smile for everyone she met.

Jayshree was a devout Hindu and was an active member of the Swaminarayan Mandir in Flushing, Queens, and the Vaishnav Temple of New York in New Hyde Park, NY. Jayshree kept God in her heart and prayed every day, giving her full devotion. She counted her blessings by keeping her children and grandchildren close to her. Here is one of her favorite quotes from the Bhagavad Gita - "The peace of God is with those whose mind and soul are in harmony, who are free from desire and wrath, who know their own soul."