Obituary: Rishi Deo

Sept. 25, 1941 – Nov. 19, 2023

After a brief illness, we sadly lost Rishi Deo on Sunday, Nov. 19th, at St. Paul’s Hospital.  

He has left behind many grieving friends and family all over the world.

A devoted husband, a caring father, and a doting grandfather, Rishi was born on a sugar cane plantation in Wairebetia, Fiji Islands, in 1941, one of a family of four brothers and three sisters.  

His primary and post-secondary education was completed in Fiji, and he worked for some time at the Fiji Sugarcane Corporation, where he created many life-long friendships.  

In 1975, he emigrated to Canada with his wife and young son, and settled in Squamish, B.C., where friends had informed him that British Columbia Railways was hiring skilled workers.  He got a job with BC Rail as a machinist and spent the next three decades working there.  

When the shops moved to Prince George in the ’90s, he elected to take early retirement and start his second act.

His second act consisted of buying and running a small cleaning business that serviced many of the office spaces here in Squamish, with his partner and wife Vimla Deo.  

He successfully ran this small business for another three decades until his untimely and tragic passing.

He was married for 53 years to the love of his life, Vimla Deo, and they had two boys and five grandchildren.  

He leaves behind Nischal (Ajeshni), Neilesh’ Neil’ (Stephanie), and beloved grandchildren Aaron, Ryan, Alexis, Melia and Toni. 

He is predeceased by his parents Ganga Din and Ram Raji, his brothers Shiu Sahay, Ram Dayal, and his sister Ram Rati.  

He is survived by his siblings Ram Deo (Kiran), Jai Pati (Ram), and Satya Nand (Sukh).

Rishi loved to barbecue, eat, dance, laugh, and engage in what he called ‘dialogues’ with people around him.  He had a beautiful smile, an infectious laugh, and could talk to anyone, about anything, anytime.  Rishi loved Squamish, and he delighted in showcasing its beauty to visitors.  

He had built a beautiful home in Valleycliffe, which was always open to visitors, friends and family, as well as the many international exchange students he hosted.  

He started each day with a Namaste to the Chief that towered over his home, and fell asleep each evening to the burbling of the creek behind his house.  He had hiked the Chief seven times, and he loved to take trips to the summit of the Sea to Sky Gondola.  During his children’s youth, he was an Akela with the local Scouts group, and involved in Youth Soccer.  He loved cruising, travelling, and gardening; but his greatest love of all was family. 

Rishi, wherever you are, we hope that you are dancing like everyone is watching, because we always were.