Leonard C. Achan Sr.

Leonard C. Achan Sr. was born on April 13th, 1948 in British Guyana to Rajama and Achan Bangaroo. He was the seventh son of eight children (seven boys and one girl). He married Sheila Rajcoomar in his late teens. He not only gained a wife but a wonderful second mother, his mother-in-law, our dear grandmother Ramdai. Leonard and Sheila moved to New York, NY early in their marriage of 40 years. They had 3 children by 1976; Dianne, Margaret and Leonard Jr. Our father was a role model, mentor and advisor to many. He lived a vibrant life of 59 years, without tragedies or sorrows. Prior to the cancer that took his life, he was rarely sick, never spent a day in the hospital or a night in an emergency room, other than when he was accompanying his wife or one of his children. He was happy and content with the life that he made and was proud of his accomplishments, both personally and professionally, which he saw grow exponentially by the success of his family. As the years progressed, he ended up having 3 sons and 3 daughters, which includes his son-in-laws, Richard and Mani and his daughter-in law, Kimmy. He loved them as much as he loved his own children and showed them this love in every way imaginable. His other children were his three Jack Russell terriers, Billi, Kelsey and Wyley. One of the last things he asked my mother to do was go home and kiss his three companions who never left his side. His second family was the church, where he taught Sunday school, served as royal ranger commander and a deacon and also served as the Chairman of the Board for several years. Throughout our father’s life, he imbedded certain qualities in us. The most important was a love for God which he exemplified with his faith and mental will that was strengthened by his high standards and morals. He lived to provide for his family, sacrificing his own years to add to his children’s happiness and quality of life. He was a worker who believed that a man should work and provide for his family at all costs, selflessly putting his family before himself. He had the highest value for education, was a renaissance man, loved to travel and loved to read. He read about the most diverse topics and even manuals. He owned books on everything from architecture to wildlife to electronics. He was certified in several trades but never used them professionally. They were just a few of his many interests and hobbies. He even had full boating safety certifications as well as coast guard instructor certifications but didn’t have a boat. His love for nature, technology and photography were passed onto his children and grandchildren. He found satisfaction in buying us toys and gifts that he could never have dreamed of ever being able to afford when growing up. He continued this tradition throughout our lives, even as married adults. He always told us to buy the best and never settle for anything less. He made everything look easy and effortless. He carried his honorable character to the last second of his life. Today, we celebrate his life and legacy every day.