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Professor Neila C. Seshachari of Ogden, Utah, died on Sunday, March 10, 2002 at her home after a sudden illness. Dr. Neila Seshachari will be remem-bered by hundreds of people whose lives she touched by her generosity, her concern, and her love of teaching.
Having immi-grated to the United States in December 1969 with her family, she received her Ph.D. in English from the University of Utah and quickly became a respected member of her community as a scholar, a Professor of English at Weber State University, and humanitarian who gave of her time and her passion to leadership positions on various local, state and national boards. She was an inspiring independent spirit and a true Renaissance Woman, pursuing excellence in many diverse fields such as writing, editing, drawing, painting, sewing, cooking and, most recently, performing Hindu weddings and devotional services in Sanskrit as a licensed Hindu Priest. As a writer, she published short stories and critical essays. As an editor, she won critical acclaim for her book on Conversations with William Kennedy, and was a nationally reputed F. Scott Fitzgerald Scholar.
Born in Belgaum, India, on August 8, 1934, Dr. Seshachari was the daughter of Dinkar D. and Indira Shirali Idgunji (both deceased). She is survived by her beloved and devoted husband, Dr. Candadai Seshachari "Sesh", daughters, Roopa Hashimoto (Edward) of Salt Lake City; Ruthi Priya Seshachari Sanger (Michael) of San Francisco, CA; and son Ranjit Mavinkurve (Smita) of Pleasanton, CA. She is also survived by her sister, Sheila Murdeshwar (Vasant), Mumbai, India; and four grandchildren whom she doted on, Danny, Michael and Katherine Hashimoto and Ria Mavinkurve.
As Editor of Weber Studies, she parlayed the journal into national prominence, and she also served on the Utah Arts Council and the Utah Humanities Council; she was State President of AAUW; she was the first woman president in the 108-year history of Utah Academy of Arts and Sciences; she was a National Danforth Fellow for teaching excellence and received a host of other national and state awards. She was the first non-Mormon woman elected president of the Association for Mormon Letters. She brought passion and an unflagging energy to her endeavors and was a proud and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, as well as dedicated professor to three decades of Weber State University students. Vibrantly engaged until the end, she had planned a brief sabbatical to devote to writing a book on Utah immigrants from India.
A viewing will be held on Wednesday evening from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Lindquist's Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd., and again Thursday from 10 to 11 a.m., followed by a private ceremony.
A public memorial service celebrating her life will be held at Weber State University, at a date and time to be announced.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Neila C. Seshachari Scholarship Fund at Weber State University.
email condolences to the family at: www.lindquistmortuary.com