Prem Nanjappa
August 18, 2025
Prem Nanjappa, 81, passed away peacefully on August 18, 2025 in Lakewood, Colorado. She had relocated to Colorado in 2021 after over 50 years as a resident of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A loving wife, mother, and grandmother, she is survived by her husband, Kulachandra Nanjappa, her son, Kiran, daughter Priya, and granddaughter Maya, all residing in Colorado. She was preceded in death by her three older sisters, and leaves behind her two older brothers, residing in India.
Prem was born in Bangalore, India, and emigrated to the United States with her husband in 1968 following their marriage. Both she and her husband were warmly welcomed by local Cedar Rapids families who helped them adjust to their new life in this country. She proudly received her United States citizenship in 1997.
She was very involved as a volunteer for many years at St. Luke’s Hospital, the Friends of India Association, and the Cedar Rapids Noon Lions Club. Prem was considered like a surrogate mother or aunt to many Indian families who began arriving to the greater Cedar Rapids area in the mid-1990s. She and her husband became pillars of the growing Indian community, with Prem often inviting new families over for tea or dinner, ensuring that they also felt a warm welcome. She was passionate about helping them to connect with one another and forge their own new friendships as well.
Prem was also very active with the Hindu Temple Association of Eastern Iowa, and was happy knowing that construction had begun on a new temple that would better serve the community in which she was so engaged.
Donations
In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the construction of the new Hindu Temple of Eastern Iowa, for which Prem was an active member of the temple community.
