WESTFIELD – Dr. Rukmini S. Kenia, 63, (1954-2018) passed away peacefully on Tuesday July 10, 2018, at her home surrounded by her loving family and friends after a courageous battle with glioblastoma mulitforme, a type of brain cancer. She was born in Mothara, a village in Kutch, India to the late Pasubhai and Panbai Savla. She grew up in Hyderabad, India, and graduated from Osmania University Medical School in 1978. She immigrated to the United States after her marriage in 1979. Her love for young children encouraged her to pursue further training in Pediatrics and she completed her Pediatrics residency at the College of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – Rutgers Medical School in New Brunswick, NJ and the University of Connecticut in Farmington and Waterbury, CT in 1983. After starting her career at Monson Development Center, CT and at Mansfield Training School, MA, she laid down her roots in Westfield, MA in 1991, establishing what became a successful practice known as Westfield Pediatrics and also joined the medical staff at Baystate Medical Center and Mercy Medical Center in Springfield, MA.
As a loving and caring daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, colleague, mentor, friend, and pediatrician, she was very active within the community. Her life was full of many passions, and she had a special gift for connecting with people wherever she went. Her love for her children and her young patients filled her with joy and she spoke about them with great enthusiasm on many occasions, while respecting their privacy. She was always a thoughtful listener and faithful advisor to friends and family alike. She enjoyed cooking, gardening, traveling and going to the gym for exercise classes. She was a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Westfield Women’s Club, Jain Center of Greater Boston, Gujarati Association of Western Massachusetts, KOJAIN and was also a former President of the Greater Springfield Indian Association, and she participated in many of their activities.
More than anything, Mini enjoyed spending time with her family and raised three wonderful children. She is survived by her beloved husband of 39 years, Dr. Shantilal N. Kenia of Westfield, MA, and her three children and their families, Drs. Anand and Sowmya Kenia of Atlanta, GA, Tina and Amol Manocha of Washington, DC, Dr. Deepa Kenia of Glassboro, NJ, and her granddaughter Akira Kenia. She also leaves her four brothers, Pravin Savla, Kantilal Savla & wife Swapna, Shantilal Savla & wife Rashmi, Ramesh Savla & wife Meenal, and their families, and her sister Kasturi Savla, all of whom reside in India, her sister-in-law Raksha Gogri & husband Hasmukh and their children Hardik & Mihir of West Springfield, MA, her niece Purvi Diccar & husband Unmesh and her family of Dubuque, IA, her nephew Tarun Savla & wife Henna and his family of Gaithersburg, MD, and many nieces and nephews with their families in India and Dubai.
Per her wishes, Rukmini has donated her body to the University of Massachusetts Medical School for further scientific research. A memorial service will be held at West Springfield High School, 425 Piper Road, West Springfield, MA 01089 on Saturday July 28th, 2018 between 2:00- 4:00pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Akshaya Patra USA, at 92 Montvale Ave., Suite #2500, Stoneham, MA 02180 (or online at www.foodforeducation.org/donate), or to Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of USA, 1712 Highway 6 South, Suite A, Houston, TX 77077 (or online at www.ekal.org/us/donate).
