Obituary of Thankamma Mathai

"Born March 1, 1932 in Mezhuveli, Pathanamthitta (India), Thankamma was the fourth of six children born to C.K. Titus and Mariamma Titus (Chackkizhathu Thundiyal House). Her siblings included George, Kurian, Mariamma, Mathen, and Rachel. Her passion for learning and service for others led her into nursing – first in Delhi, and then on to New York. While in Delhi, Thankamma married Madappallil Mathai (Joykutty) on May 26, 1969. They stayed married for the next 41 years. During this time, they raised two children in New York. Thankamma continued her profession as a registered nurse in New York, first at Metropolitan Hospital in Manhattan and then at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens. Upon retirement, Joykutty and Thankamma moved to Houston, Texas in 2005, where they lived for the next five years until Joykutty’s passing. Thankamma then returned to New York and lived with her youngest son (Titus). Thankamma is survived by two siblings (Mathen and Rachel), her two children, (Thomas and Titus), soon-to-be daughter-in-law (Lauren) and her cat (Billie Graham). In many ways, Thankamma led by example and forged a path for many who followed in her footsteps. She emigrated to the U.S. alone and created a way for her husband and first-born son to join her a year later. Thankamma was especially active within in the church community. Part of the founding of St. Thomas Orthodox Church in Yonkers NY, Thankamma served in several integral roles, including as secretary of the Marthamarium Samajam and Sunday School teacher – the latter being a role she dutifully played for decades. Thankamma will always be remembered by her family and friends as a tenacious and unrelenting advocate for those she cared about, and as having possessed an unwavering moral compass. Thankamma was called to her heavenly abode on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at the age of 90. As Saint Paul witnessed, “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10); we can proudly say that Thankamma indeed worked hard, and her labour yielded a great abundance for all who knew her. We are thankful to God for Thankamma’s life and the services she rendered to everyone."