LEXINGTON, MA—Kokila “Koki” Patel, a pillar of grace, kindness, and joy, passed away on November 9, 2024. She was a long-time resident of Lexington, MA. She was 81.
Kokila was best known for her gentle and elegant nature. Her radiant personality shined through her loving spirit, adventurous attitude, and devout commitment to her community and family. She taught those around her to be kind and fair, treating everyone with respect and dignity; advice she lived by and imparted on all she touched.
Born on January 24, 1943 in Nakuru, Kenya to Hiraben and Ashabhai Patel, Koki grew up with a large family and she was very close to her four brothers, Chandrakant, Mahendra, Mukund and Shirish, and her older sister Sardaben, and her extended family in Nakuru. She did her primary schooling in Nakuru, Kenya, high school in Mount Abu, India, and college in Vadodara, India.
She married her beloved husband, Dinesh Patel from Nadiad, Gujarat, in December 1965 in Navli, India. Koki moved to Massachusetts in 1967 to join Dinesh who was an Orthopedic Resident at Massachusetts General Hospital. Koki lived the rest of her life in the Boston area and lived in Lexington, Massachusetts for over 50 years. Their love story of nearly six decades blossomed into a beautiful family including their children: Neha and her husband Rakesh Kishan (Rohin, Shivani, Krishna), Mona and her husband Nihir Shah (Dylan, Rikhav, Kinnari), and Paresh and his wife Nirva Patel (Bela, Nayan, Nadia, Lila). One of her favorite pastimes was spending quality time with her grandchildren, family, and friends. She also enjoyed shopping and travel, with Europe being her favorite vacation spot. Kokila traveled extensively throughout the world including South America, Central America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, and Australia & New Zealand.
Kokila’s life was characterized by her many accomplishments. Among them, the most cherished were her wonderful family, her ten delightful grandchildren, and the multitude of friends who had the honor of calling her their best friend. Her legacy of kindness, generosity, and happiness will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew her. Her electric smile, twinkle in her eye and hearty laugh was contagious and made everyone around her feel cherished. She was an incredible cook and everyone who visited always left full and happy. Kokila led a life marked by family, love of news and current affairs, travel and adventure.
Kokila’s passing leaves an irreplaceable void in the lives of her family, friends, and community. Her memory, however, will remain a beacon of love, grace, and kindness to all who had the privilege of knowing her.
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