The Rev. Wadahawa Singh Gill, the longtime spiritual leader of
Northern California's Sikh community, died Tuesday of complications from pneumonia weeks before his 88th birthday. He was deeply beloved by the roughly 100,000 Sikhs in the Sacramento region and beyond as as a wise, calming influence in the the face of conflict and misunderstanding.
He played a huge role after the Sept. 11 attacks, when Sikhs - who wear beards and turbans in keeping with their faith - were targeted by bigots who confused them with Muslims. Gill and his wife took to the airwaves to explain that Sikhs are peace-loving, tolerant people who respect all faiths. He delivered that message to the end.
Under his leadership, the Sacramento Sikh community partnered with other interfaith organizations to hold a World Peace March in October attended by over 5,000 people.
The author of several spiritual books, "he's famous all over the world," said his longtime friend Darshan Singh Mundy.
Gill was a preacher, advisor, peacemaker, "like the head of our family," Mundy said. "He wasn't an ordinary person, he was a saint. He was humble, soft-spoken, always happy. He said to treat all humanity equally - men or women, any culture, any caste. He loved all faiths...he saw God resides in every one."
David Thompson, president of the Interfaith Service Bureau of Sacramento, said Gill's "widsom and depth of his mind were legendary. He was always peaceful, gentle and appropriate."
Gill is survived by his wife, Swaran Kaur Gill of Sacramento; son, Jaspal Singh Gill of Granite Bay; daughters Herbans Sandher and Rajbans Bahia of Modesto; three brothers, Amrik Gill of Stockton, Kulwant Gill of Seattle and Baljit Gill of Sacramento; and eight grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the North Sacramento Funeral Home, 725 El Camino Ave., Religious services will follow at 2-3 p.m. at Sacramento Sikh Temple, 2301 Evergreen Ave., West Sacramento.
Mohinder Sandhu, general secretary of the W. Sacramento Sikh temple, remembered Gill "as a very enlightened man, a very noble soul who cared a lot about peace and harmony among human beings." He said prayer will last until March 7 with a service at the Sacramento Sikh Temple in West Sacramento.
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Sacramento Sikh Temple, 2301 Evergreen Ave., West Sacramento, 95691.