Obituary of Homi B. Kotwal

It is with heavy hearts that the family of Homi Burjorji Kotwal M.D. announce his passing on Tuesday, September 23, 2014 at 11:56 a.m. in Cherry Hill, NJ. Homi was born on September 6, 1932 in Bombay, India. He was 82 years old and was on Hospice at home after complications from his battle with rectal cancer. Homi is survived by his ever-loving wife Altaf (Khan) of 52 years of marriage, his loving children, son Neville and daughter Zarine, supportive son-in-law Michael Meyer, and his most precious grandsons Zubin and Zahan. Also his only 2 siblings, Khorshed Bhicaji and Rohinton Kotwal (and his wife Nargis), along with Altaf's family, all reside in Bombay, India and Auckland, New Zealand. Homi had the opportunity to come to America to practice medicine (something he always wanted to do) and so his family arrived in America on December 16, 1969 and lived in Cherry Hill, NJ. His specialty was OB/GYN where he delivered his own children and grandsons, along with countless years of bringing babies into this world. He worked at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia, then went on to Hershey Medical Center in PA for his 2 year fellowship and then moved back to NJ, this time moving to Mt. Laurel in 1974 and resuming work at Hahnemann where he became Vice-Chairman of OB/GYN and Teaching Director of Residents. Homi then had an opportunity in 1987 to go to Staten Island University Hospital in New York to expand the OB/GYN department so he moved with his wife to Monroe Township, NJ and finally retired at the age of 73 in 2005. Homi's gift of teaching residents and his passion for being a doctor is GOD's gift to him that he utilized and passed onto others. He was humble, he was a gentleman, and an exceptional human being who will be missed greatly. His funeral will be on Friday, September 26th at 4:00 pm at the Leroy P. Wooster Funeral Home & Crematory, 441 White Horse Pike, Atco, NJ 08004. Phone: 856-767-0539. In lieu of flowers, for those who would like to make a donation in memory of Homi, there are 2 non-profit charities that were close to his heart during his battle with cancer. MANNA (Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance) provided free nourishing daily meals for Homi and others fighting life-threatening illnesses. Website: www.mannapa.org or call 215-496-2662. Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House provided housing for young brain cancer patients that Homi met and took proton radiation treatments with during the summer. Website: www.philarmh.org or call 215-387-8406 ext. 463. Both these websites have a donation section "in memory of" on their main or following webpage where you can enter Homi Kotwal's name.