Kalpana Lall, 85, passed away peacefully at her home in Oak Brook on Dec. 18, 2023, after a long battle with heart failure.
Kalpana was born in 1938 in Delhi, India. She was the second of five children and the eldest daughter. As a young girl in India, she excelled as a student, which sparked her passion for life-long learning. She earned a bachelor's in nursing from Delhi University and had a successful career as a registered nurse for more than 30 years. During her career as a nurse, she obtained master's degrees in psychology and public health and ultimately enrolled in medical school.
She met her best friend, Krishna, in a graduate psychology class, and they married in 1962. Kalpana immigrated to the United States in 1967 after accepting a teaching position in nursing at Cook County Hospital. Nine months later, her husband and two daughters followed her to Chicago, where they lived for almost a year. Kalpana and Krishna purchased a home in Oak Park, where they raised a family and lived for 30 years before moving to Oak Brook. Kalpana was lovingly known to the family as "Nanie". She was the quintessential caregiver for her children, grandchildren, siblings and patients. Kalpana was an avid cook, gardener, artist and reader and loved Hindi and Bengali music and films. She had a contagious laugh, warm heart, and beautiful smile.
Kalpana paved the way to success for her family and will be missed dearly by all who knew her. Kalpana is survived by her husband, Krishna; her sister, Moyna; her daughters, Neera (Tom) and Sheera (Marc); her grandchildren, Grace (Matt), Aaron (Kallie), Owen, Joe and Veronica; and great-grandson, Arthur.
Sullivan Funeral Home Hinsdale handled the arrangements.
