Mehul was a devoted son, a stellar brother, a loving husband, an amazing dad, a gem of an uncle ('Mamu' and 'Kaka'), a wonderful cousin, and a friend to many. He departed this world unexpectedly on Monday, January 31st, 2022, at the age of 47. Mehul is survived by his loving wife Jyotsana, two daughters Jill & Komal, parents Arvindbhai and Bhavanaben, siblings Amita, Meena, Nipul and Hasmukh, along with the Zalavadia parivar.

Mehul's family was at his bedside in his final moments, but more importantly, they were able to spend time together in the recent weeks. Even though Mehul managed his business in Indiana, he was always there for all the family events. He made sure not to miss his niece Nina's surprise proposal celebration, and over the Christmas holidays, he spent several days together with his entire family and close friends just playing games, eating, and generally hanging out at his older sister Amita's home. The family will treasure and cherish these recent memories with him forever.

Mehul was born on December 19, 1974, in Mota Charodia, India to Arvindbhai and Bhavanaben Zalavadia. He was the third of five children and the eldest son. The family immigrated to the USA in the mid-80s and Mehul immediately stepped up by working at a young age while attending TC Williams High School. After finishing high school, he took a few college courses at George Mason and NOVA and ultimately decided to pursue entrepreneurship. While he personally didn't graduate from college, Mehul was a big believer in education and ensured both of his younger brothers, Nipul and Hasmukh, completed their college degrees.

Mehul was a jack of all trades and the hardest working person in his family. Some of the family’s fondest memories growing up together are with Mehul leading by example and instilling a strong work ethic in his younger siblings. For instance, they delivered over 1000 papers (The Washington Post) daily for many years with Mehul paving the way. Cousins visiting from out of town over the summer weren't spared and were put to work. It was something everyone looked forward to every summer.

Mehul married Jyotsana Sojitra in December 1997 and they began their life as a married couple in Alexandria, VA. Mehul and Jyotsana moved to Ohio to manage their hospitality business, where they also had their two beautiful daughters, Jill and Komal . In 2012, Mehul and his family moved back to Virginia to be closer to his siblings and parents. He continued his business endeavors in Indiana but always made sure to be with his family at every opportunity possible, never missing birthdays or any special occasions. Mehul absolutely loved and adored his daughters and was in the process of transitioning the business’s day-to-day operations to 3rd party management so that he could spend more time with family. He was especially looking forward to visiting college campuses with Jill this coming spring.

Reflections and favorite memories from the family…

“A loving and caring husband, the love of my life, who had always been there for me and our kids. He will always be our beacon showing us the path ahead” - Jyotsana

“A great person and an even better father, he was one of our biggest supporters and will always be there for us. He has a special place in our hearts which will never be replaced by any." - Jill and Komal

"Mehul was always Bapuji's right-hand man and the glue that kept everyone together. It brought me great joy to watch him raise his nieces, nephews, and daughters. His love and support for the family will never be forgotten. Some of my favorite memories include our lake house trips, visiting the Golden Temple in WV, our biweekly Woodland dinners, that one packed road trip to Florida, our annual casino adventures, and the opportunities you gave us to travel the world. It brings me a lot of joy to cherish the memories we had together." - Ba

"Mehul knew me better than I knew myself. He was everything to me." - Amita

"Mehul may have been my little brother but that didn’t stop him from acting like the older one when I needed help. He’s the first person I’d go to and I could always count on him to be there for me, no matter the time of day." - Meena

"Mehul was and will always be my rock. My biggest believer no matter the endeavor." - Nipul

"No matter what, he was there to protect, raise, and support me and will always be." - Hasmukh

"They say it takes a village. We were lucky enough to be raised by not just our parents, but also by our mamas. Growing up, Mamu/Kaka was always there for us, from us following him around at work to our massive sleepovers to his driveway grill sessions. We wouldn’t be who we are today without his constant love, support, and guidance." - Nina, Nirali, Nihar, Yash, Urja, Samay, Simran, Rihan

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