Anoopa Sharma

Michael Kramer is a close friend of Anoopa's from Emory University. At the Altanta memorial service last week he spoke about her, and he shared quotes from many friends, family, and friends that expressed the far-reaching and deep impact of her life and her loss. Here he shares a summary of the memorial service.

On Thursday afternoon, March 24th, the Atlanta and Emory University community came together on Emory’s campus to grieve together the loss of Anoopa, and to celebrate her life. The memorial was sponsored by the Office of Campus Ministry and the Epidemiology Department in the school of public health.

In all about 150-200 of us gathered in Cannon Chapel on the Emory Campus. We were a diverse group including the University president, Deans of the Graduate school and of the School of Public Health, the entire epidemiology faculty, many faculty from other departments, and friends from Emory, from Atlanta, and some people who never even knew Anoopa, but were drawn by her story, her energy. In addition Anoopa’s mother Anita Sharma, and her uncle Spencer Nayan Joshi were present and participated.

The service opened with flute music by epidemiology faculty member David Kleinbaum (member of a jazz group that Anoopa enjoyed), and then readings, reflections, memories and a song, from several faculty and friends. A feeling developed (for me at least) of how our personal experiences of Anoopa’s joy, energy and presence were complemented and expanded upon by hearing the experiences and feelings of others. We seemed to see a more complete Anoopa by sharing our memories, love and grief together.

While so many tears were shed together, and so much sadness persists, there was also some comfort in communal grieving and in communal celebration. The service closed with a soulful rendition of Amazing Grace on flute by Dr. Kleinbaum, and then an energetic recording of Ella Fitzgerald singing You ain’t got a thing (if you ain’t got that swing), which had been a recent favorite of Anoopa’s. Following the service there was ample opportunity for more informal sharing, crying, and celebrating as a slide show of ‘Anoopa pictures’ and the Fox5News story that aired after her death were shown.