FRENY DARA BAPUJI

Wasilla resident Mrs. Freny Dara Bapuji, 80, died of natural causes at her home July 28, 2003.

A public visitation will be held today from 7 to 9 p.m., at Valley Funeral Home Chapel, 151 E. Herning Avenue, in Wasilla. Funeral services will be held at Valley Funeral Home Chapel tomorrow, Aug. 2, at 1 p.m., with visitation from 11 a.m. until 12:45 p.m., prior to the service. Rev. James Mc Farlin will officiate. Pallbearers will be Shayne Burnem, Troy Snow, Todd Harmon, Pete Carroll, Jim Burnem and Jessie Ottoson. Interment will follow at Wasilla Aurora Cemetery.

Mrs. Bapuji was born Aug. 24, 1922, in India. She was educated privately in India.

She moved to Alaska in 1976. She lived in Anchorage from 1976 until 2001 when she moved to Wasilla.

Mrs. Bapuji was a homemaker, a mother and a grandmother. She was a member of the Church of the Living God, Anchorage Baptist Temple and Wasilla Assembly of God.

She was very proud of becoming a United States citizen in 1984. Mrs. Bapjui was an active volunteer at the Anchorage and Palmer senior citizen centers.

She loved traveling, dancing, watching action films, riding in sports cars, cooking, arts and crafts and helping people.

Her family said, "She was affectionately called Nana by those who loved and knew her. The sparkle in her eyes could light an entire room. Nana had the spirit of a lion and the grace and elegance of a lady.

"Nana truly was the core of her family and we would not have known the true meaning of family without her. She will be deeply missed by all of her friends at the Anchorage and Palmer senior centers and all of her church family."

Mrs. Bapuji is survived by her children, Cairsey Bapuji and wife, Sally, Alloo Adams and husband, Jerry, Jenny McFarlin and husband, Jim, Jangoo Bapuji and wife, Dorothy, Sheri Burnem and husband, Jim; grandchildren, Paul, Steve, Cona, Davina, Heather, Shayne, Ninotchka, Vivian, Miranda, Sacha, Joshua, Angela, Genevieve, Jackie, LaToya and Desiree; and more than 20 great-grandchildren.

Arrangements were made by Valley Funeral Home & Crematory in Wasilla.