Chandrika Behymer 1938 - 2021
Chandrika Behymer passed away Tuesday, July 13, 2021 at Adventist Health Sonora at the age of 83, surrounded by family. Arrangements were entrusted to Sierra Cremation & Burial Service. Born Iris Steinman on February 19, 1938 in the Bronx, New York, Chandrika was the middle child of Jewish parents. Chandrika grew to become a strong, independent woman. Af ter graduating high school and college in NY, she became a math teacher and later guidance counselor, spending nearly 15 years working at Erasmus High School in Brooklyn, NY. Chandrika used her time off to travel the world – skiing in Europe and other adventures.
One such adventure led to her second, and most meaningful, marriage, which also introduced her to motherhood. She took on shared mothering duties to a son, Gabriel, that came along with the groom. The couple married in Florida and, after retrofitting a Dodge van in Maine and embarked on a trek across the US and Canada. During this travel, Chandrika gave birth to a daughter in Mexico. After settling in northern California a short time later, she gave birth to another son. The family lived somewhat off the grid on a large plot of land in Yuba County, CA for the next several years; a period of time that Chandrika would look back on as some of the best in her life. During this time, a child who would have been her youngest, who was to be named Tara, was lost to miscarriage. After a brief residence in Wheeling, WV, Chandrika and her family returned to California and settled in Tuolumne in 1987, where her husband served as a long-time area doctor and Chandrika became a well-known presence throughout the area. Known for her sociability and warmth, she kept a constant presence at the tennis courts, her living yoga studio, Dodge Ridge Ski Resort or where her cross-country skiing led her.
Her fondness for the outdoors was evident through the activities she participated in. Known to hike, swim in her pool, ride her bike, dance at the Aronos Club or Tuolumne Park, and organize social and spiritual gatherings; Chandrika was always on the move.
Chandrika was also deeply connected to her Tuolumne home, which she truly transformed during her nearly 33 years there – she always had multiple “projects” underway. Short in stature but fierce in her approach to life, she could reliably be found working on her property with her iconic long, braided hair and strong sense of purpose.
Chandrika is survived by her older brother Joseph and wife Sandy, three children (Gabriel and wife Sarah, Rama and husband Tommy, and Ramesh and wife Shing Fan), six grandchildren (Luke, Asher, Kaylee, Naya, Eugenia, and Meredith), and a small extended family. She was preceded in passing by her parents, Benjamin and Esther, and younger sister Marcy.
A celebration of life will be held on September 11, 2021 beginning at 3:30PM at Sparks Ranch Resort in Sonora. All are welcome to attend. Details can be found at www. myfarewelling. com/ memorial/ Chandrika.
In lieu of flowers, donations to local Tuolumne trails or tennis courts or simply making an effort to bring joy and light to another person would be welcomed.
In her words: Love and Light.