Bijon Kumar Roy

Bijon Kumar Roy was the embodiment of a gentleman and a renaissance man - a free spirit with a zest for life, infectious smile and laugh. He was an audiophile and speaker building aficionado who built dozens of systems for his friends and family at no cost, despite hours spent perfecting the look and sound. He was an avid gardener with a lush green thumb, a car enthusiast, an adventurous cook, and boy did he live to eat. He was a dedicated physician and family man, and was world-famously known for his insatiable appetite for hot chilli peppers, goat curry, and sweets.

Dr. Roy passed away peacefully on September 12th, surrounded by family and friends after a nearly 20 year battle with chronic kidney disease in Akron, Ohio. He was 73 years old.

Born in East India on October 1, 1944, as the eldest son to Dr. Biresh Chandra Roy and Bhawani Roy, Bijon received his MD from Assam Medical College (India) and was training at a hospital in Kolkata (RKMSP) where he met his wife of 46 years, Swapna (Sue), before immigrating to the US in 1972 - completing his General Surgery Residency at St. Alexis Hospital in Cleveland, Diagnostic Radiology Residency at Northside Hospital in Youngstown, and his Radiology Fellowship at Mount Sinai in Cleveland before settling in Akron in 1980.

Dr. Roy was a proud partner in Akron Radiology, Inc. for nearly 30 years, making lifelong friendships with his colleagues at St. Thomas, Akron City, and Barberton Hospital. He had the privilege of teaching medical students at NEUCOM and mentored countless residents that came through Summa, cracking jokes all along the way and inviting them to his home for home-cooked meals and drinks while entertained by his handmade hi-fi speakers and home theater system.

Although his career was abbreviated due to health issues, he embraced his retirement by taking several journeys across the globe with his wife, family and friends, including many winters in India, where he had homes in Kolkata and Santiniketan, India; the birthplace of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore whose songs Bijon would hum to himself as he yearned for his homeland.

In the past two years, Bijon became a proud Dadu (grandfather) to two beautiful girls, Anwesha and Camille - both immediately had him wrapped around their fingers, becoming the center of his attention and making his face instantly beam with joy each time he laid eyes on them.

In addition to his wife and granddaughters, Dr. Roy is survived by his sons Bikram (Taniya) and Sanjoy (Melina), both of Akron, his daughter Samantha of New York, NY, his brother Nirmal (Anuradha) Roy, of Raytown, MO, his sister Kalyani (Nayan) Das, of McLean, VA, and dozens of dear nieces, nephews, cousins and in-laws. He was preceded in death by his parents and in-laws, Sushama and Pramode Ranjan Sen Sarma, his brother Sishir, and beloved cousin brother Dilip Pal.

Funeral service will held at 12:30pm Saturday at Billow Funeral Home, 85 N Miller Rd, Akron, OH 44333. The details of a Memorial will be announced at a future date. In lieu of other remembrances, the family suggests donations to The Kidney Foundation of Summit County, 4069 Glencairn Grove, Stow, OH 44224.