Gurdev Singh, PhD., 85, of Lewiston, NY, passed away on January 19, 2025. Born in Muheza, Tanzania, he was the son of the late Dewan Singh (Civil Engineer) and Kartar Kaur. He was the husband of Veena "Joy" (Shah) Singh, whom he married on November 22, 1964 in India.

Dr. Singh began his education in Civil Engineering, with an undergraduate degree from Aligarh University in India. This was followed in quick succession by a Master's degree and Doctorate from Birmingham University in the United Kingdom. Gurdev then embarked on a career in academia in the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States. He spent the final years of his career applying his engineering talents to the field of patient safety at the University at Buffalo, retiring in 2015.

In the field of Civil Engineering, he spent 23 years on the faculty at Leeds University in the UK, where he was best known for his research in ferrocement, risk analysis, reliability, and construction management and was an early developer of computer-based methods in the above fields; his book, "Risk and Reliability Appraisal on Micro-Computers" was published in 1987. He also held 2 patents for inventions in Civil Engineering – one for a sensor to measure soil properties and one for a novel folding plate structure designed to provide shelter rapidly and cost-effectively. At Leeds he served as principal doctoral advisor for 30 successful PhD candidates in Civil Engineering and his students went on to successful careers globally as business and academic leaders.

During this time, his skill and expertise as a structural engineer were sought-after by architects and artists - his ingenuity allowed him to bring their visions to life in elegant structures that would withstand the test of time. One of his proudest feats in this area came in the mid 1980s with the construction of three hundred ferrocement "leafs" (up to 20 feet long) that form the ceiling of the Menil Foundation Museum in Houston, Texas. designed by world renowned architect Renzo Piano, built in Leeds, and shipped all the way to Houston! On a smaller scale, in 1982, British artist Sir Quinten Bell designed a unique "Levitating Woman" statue that posed unique structural challenges. Dr. Singh was delighted to oblige with a custom-designed steel armature. The statue, now affectionately known as "The Dreamer," remains one of the most well recognized and iconic sights on the Leeds University campus. At times, the engineer became the artist; he relished creating an 8-foot tall ferrocement statue of a Benedictine monk for the UK National Garden Festival in 1990. His family fondly recalls him hand-sculpting the head on the kitchen table!

As a leader in his community, he was appointed President of the Yorkshire Indian Society in 1993, serving to bring people together across cultures. During this time, he formed enduring relationships with the Indian High Commissioner to the UK as well as the Indian Finance Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, who later served as India's Prime Minister.

After more than 30 years in the UK, his accomplishments and international stature led to him being awarded permanent resident status in the US as an "Alien of Extraordinary Ability." At this point, moving to America in 1997, he lent his energy, talent, and passion to a brand-new field – patient safety. In the Department of Family Medicine at the University at Buffalo, he secured multi-million dollars of grant funding to develop and apply scientific methods from engineering to analyze and improve healthcare systems to save patients from avoidable harm. This gave him tremendous satisfaction and exposed him to a new professional network of researchers around the world, with new relationships that he treasured.

Both in his professional and private life, he was known for his charismatic personality. He was a natural leader who inspired others to realize their own potential and to serve selflessly. He has been described in letters from his colleagues as "a lump of gold for the academic community", "a gem of a researcher", "a charming and cultivated colleague", and "an iconoclast with a towering intellect."

A gifted artist, Gurdev enjoyed sketching, drawing, and painting, in addition to sculpting. As a young man, he was also known for his singing abilities. Most of all, he enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren.

In addition to his wife of 60 years, Dr. Singh is survived by his children, Dr. Sonjoy (Rachna) Singh, Dr. Ashok (Shikha) Singh, and Dr. Ranjit (Julie) Singh; his grandchildren Devan, Amrita, Rajan, Vikram, Simran, Sarina, and Anisha as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins in the US, Canada, UK, and India. He was predeceased by two brothers and four sisters.

Private funeral services were held on Jan 24th, 2025.

Memorial offerings may be made to: - Smile Train, https://support.smiletrain.org/ , or to - The Hunger Site, https://thehungersite.greatergood.com/clicktogive/ths/home/

Arrangements by M. J. Colucci & Son Niagara Funeral Chapel. Visit mjcoluccifuneralchapel.com for online condolences.