Sharon Rathor of Williams Lake makes delicious samosas.
For decades she has prepared them for events at the Sikh temple and for a few years sold them at the farmers’ market.
“Everybody loved my samosas,” she said with a broad grin.
Married to Williams Lake Mayor Surinderpal Rathor for 50 years, Sharon has called the lakecity home since 1969. When she was 13-years-old her family left the Punjab State in India and moved to Canada. After living in Nanaimo for six months with her mom’s brother, the family moved to Williams Lake where another of her mom’s brothers was living.
Sharon attended Glendale School and Williams Lake Secondary. She still remembers the sound of Glendale principal Hazel Huckvale’s high-heeled shoes as she walked down the hall in the school.
“She was very strict,” Sharon recalled. “The students and teachers were scared of her. When she disciplined someone in her office she turned the loudspeaker system on.”
Sharon’s family lived behind what was then the Glendale Store at the corner of Mackenzie Avenue North and Pine Street. She fondly remembers Elke Reiner who owned the store with her husband Karl Reiner. The Reiners had immigrated to Williams Lake from Germany in 1963.
“When we had company we would run to the store to buy goodies,” Sharon said. “Elke was good to us. She was very straight forward and was a good neighbour.”
Surinder arrived in Williams Lake in 1974 at the age of 21 and met Sharon through his second cousin who was married to Sharon's sister.
They were married at the courthouse on Jan. 15, 1975 followed by a religious ceremony on Jan. 26, 1975 which coincided with Republic Day in India. Because Guru Nanak Sikh Temple was being built at the time, their wedding took place in the basement of the Sandman Inn, officiated by a Sikh priest from Quesnel.
After they married, Surinderpal moved into Sharon’s parents’ home while he continued to try to find a job. Sharon worked at the Bil-Nor Restaurant on Highway 97 doing food preparation and dish washing. In 1975, Surinder was hired at P&T Lumber and they eventually moved into a basement suite on Third Avenue, renting from some friends of Sharon’s parents.
Wanting to help his daughters, Sharon’s father had a duplex built for them on Pigeon Avenue and they lived side by side. The Rathors’ first child, Roop, was born in March 1976 and their son Robin in May 1978. Sharon went to work as a janitor for the School District, but eventually decided to stay home with the children full-time. Being a mom was something she really enjoyed, she said.
“I loved my kids and loved being with them.”
Surinder credited Sharon for allowing him to be involved in the community on city council for many years and other various volunteer commitments.
“That’s how I could go out and do those things,” he said. “I wouldn’t be who am I today if Sharon had not looked after the family. I never had to worry.”
One of the most difficult things for them to endure was the death of their daughter just over a decade ago.
Roop had received a heart transplant in 2013, but died in January 2014, leaving behind her husband, Harminder, and three children - Priya, Riya and Digraj, known as DJ.
“That was the darkest night we ever had,” Sharon said, slowly shaking her head side to side.
Sharon was very involved with the temple and often joined other women to cook there.
“We’d meet on Boundary Street and walk to the temple together,” she said, adding she also worked as cook at Cariboo Lodge, the Fraser Inn and for Kim Judd. She doesn’t cook as much these days and not for people outside the house, due to her health, she explained, adding she also enjoyed sewing Eastern dresses for others in the past.
Recently the Rathors enjoyed going on cruise for their 50th wedding anniversary, something Sharon said she loved.
“I didn't have to worry about the house or cooking. I enjoyed just looking out at the ocean. It was so relaxing."
