Olav Pacheco died this morning, Wednesday October 21, a few weeks shy of his 67th birthday. On speaking with his brother-in-law in Chembur a few minutes ago, I learned that Olav had another massive heart attack to which he succumbed. He had been in good health in recent weeks and when I spoke with him last, about a month ago, he was in good health and felt that he had recovered well from his coronary bypass surgery. A few days ago Olav developed a fever and this got worse over the last couple of days. He was admitted into one hospital and was about to be transferred to another when he had a massive heart attack and died.

Olav is survived by his wife Patricia, his son, Kevin with wife Rochelle and their daughter, Natalie and their son Nathan, all four live in Vancouver, and Olav’s daughter Priya and her husband and their son who live in Chembur, and Olav’s mother, Ida, who is now in her 90s and still has full control of her faculties and an excellent memory. She still lives on her own in Byculla. Olav sent me a video of her dancing at her 93rd birthday celebration earlier this year. Olav’s passing will be especially hard on her as it will be on his wife Pat and their two children. Olav will be sorely missed by his grand-daughter, Natalie who spent at least a half-hour on the phone with him twice a week. It was such a delight to observe Olav’s caring love and attention that helped Natalie blossom.

Olav and I have been friends since we were very young. Our parents were close friends and both members of the Catholic Gymkhana. Olav lived pretty close to me as we both lived in Byculla. Olav went to Abu because my parents cajoled his parents into sending him and his brother Ivan there. After high school Olav, Sylvian Peris and I attended Elphinstone College in Bombay where we had a lot of fun. After our first year there, where all three of us were flunked more because of my antics than anything the other two did, we attended St. Xavier’s College, again in First Year Science.

Olav was a talented musician who played the piano with gusto and virtuosic zeal. My early memories recall him playing the accordion. While at college, Olav made many futile attempts to teach me the piano. Olav and I, through the good graces of Olav’s dad, initiated and organized the very successful Teens and Tunes dances at the Catholic Gym. At these, attendance restricted to teenagers events, young musicians and their bands played several sets of dance music to which the crowd of teenagers danced. The winner was decided by applause.

After St. Xavier’s college Olav studied electronics and then joined Siemens where he serviced medical electrical and electronic equipment. He installed and was responsible for the installation of most of the major diagnostic equipment sold by Siemens in India. Olav rose through the ranks to become a senior executive with Siemens in India with responsibility for all the major diagnostic equipment in the country. Siemens sent Olav to Germany and to the US for training and to train others. On several occasions he received lucrative offers to relocate to Germany and to the US but he declined as he felt he could achieve the most good by remaining in India.

Both Peggy and I have fond memories of Olav and Pat as we along with Brian and Joan Lobo, Carmo Lobo, Bob Amore, Vincent DeMello, Aloysius D’Souza and Duncan Collie enjoyed a delightful holiday up in Mt. Abu in 1998 where we re-lived part of our youth, enjoyed our present and planned for future times together. Olav and Pat visited with us both in Vancouver and at Whistler. I may even have a picture or two of Olav and Pat stacking firewood and Olav as a lumberjack using a chainsaw and splitting logs. My last memory of Olav is his great smile displaying the warmth of his friendship that has endured for over 60 years.

Olav was a childhood friend, a great classmate, more fun as a college-mate, a joy to get to know as a mature adult and a delight to watch as a grandfather. May he rest in peace.