Daily Archives: August 12, 2011

Marcia King

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When I met Sameer:  09/03/1979

Where Sameer and I spent time: Satellite High School, class of 1982

Extended thoughts about Sameer. 
Dear Shah Family,
I went to Satellite with Sameer and had several classes with him. I’m not sure how I had ANY classes with him, as he was brilliant and I was academically average. Sameer was without a doubt the smartest person in our graduating class and quite likely the smartest person I’ve ever been lucky enough to know. While his brilliance is important what is more important is his kindness. Sameer always had a kind word and a smile on his face. He always made you feel that he was happy to see you. I am so saddened that his children will not get to grow up with him and that he left them so prematurely. My prayers are with his family.

William Guzak

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When I met Sameer:  Early 1970s

Where Sameer and I spent time:  Ocean Breeze Elementary, Hoover Junior High School, and Satellite High School

What you remember and appreciated most about Sameer
He was a good friend throughout our primary education. He smiled alot even back then, especially when he was winning.

Extended thoughts about Sameer. 
Sameer and I competed on grades all through our primary education. As seen on my handwritten 5th grade rankings, he always came out on top. The winner in Mr. Deith’s 5th grade class got to ride a small pedal car that Mr. Deith built around the school track. I remember Sameer smiling the whole way around the track. If I remember correctly the rest of us in the top 5 just got to sit in it. I remember that science project (picture in the photo gallery) that he did at Hoover. Everyone knew that Sameer would win. I remember the candy business that Josh Litwin mentioned in his remarks. Sameer and William Fitzgerald were partners in that endeavor. I believe they called their business Shah-Fitz Enterprises. You notice that Shah is mentioned first. It was a booming business that made alot of money that had to be shut down by the administration due to its popularity. In fourth grade I remember Sameer and I grading papers for Mrs. Knoll. We even competed doing that by seeing who could grade the most papers the fastest. Sameer came up with a war game in elementary school that we played on a piece of paper. First you would create a map with land and sea areas. Then you would place your artillery, tanks, and ships on the map one turn at a time. You would take shots by placing the tip of your pencil on where you were firing from and flicked the pencil back to fire. If the resulting pencil lead trace hit the enemies object then it would be destroyed or partially destroyed. This would lead to many debates as to whether your object was hit and how bad. Sameer won most of those debates. I do not remember beating him once. I came close one time but he prevailed again and smiled. Teachers would have to tell us to put the game away all the time.

I regret very much not keeping in touch with Sameer after high school. Sameer was one of a kind and I realize now that you should keep people like Sameer a part of your life. Sameer and I did start to reconnect last year when he joined facebook. I was looking forward to seeing him again.

Lisa Weyl Wyler

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When I met Sameer: 09/01/1989

Where Sameer and I spent time:  Stanford GSB

What you remember and appreciated most about Sameer
I will always remember and appreciate Sameer’s infectious laugh, his warm smile and his joy for life.

Extended thoughts about Sameer
Sameer was instantly recognizable on campus — with his array of button down shirts, sun glasses and his broad smile.

Sameer was an amazing traveler of the world. He could be put down anywhere on the earth, given a map in any language and quickly identify what there was to explore, get there by the indigenous forms of transportation (camel, Rolls Royce, rickshaw), experience the highlights and lowlights (rice paddies, plains of Africa, Taj Mahal) and come away with a very confident perspective about the place, politics and economic opportunities.

Sameer loved to engage in fun spirited discussion — his intellectual arguments based on voracious reading and keen intelligence were hard to “one-up” — studying up on previous Economist magazines helped even the playing field (a little) and Sameer always enjoyed a good debate.

Sameer loved his mom, dad and brother immeasurably – and he felt deeply loved and basked in the love of his family. He was immensely proud – of his education, employers, friends and most of his family.

When I saw Sameer at our last reunion I believe Surekha was at home expecting birth of their first baby. Sameer was beaming with joy and pride – so in love and already so proud of what his children would accomplish in the world.

Sameer was a unique amazing human being and it was a great privilege to have been his friend. I am so sorry about this terrible tragedy, and extend my love and prayers to Surekha and the Shah family.

Lawrence Lee

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When I met Sameer: 09/1989

Where Sameer and I spent time: Stanford Graduate School of Business

What you remember and appreciated most about Sameer
I will always remember Sameer as a real gentleman. He was very smart and carried himself well, never losing his balance even in the face of intense competition. I am honored to have known Sameer and be in the same class with him.