Mrs. Annamma Varghese, lovingly known as “Kunjumol” in her native tongue, went into the presence of the Lord on January 26, 2024, at the age of 87. She was the oldest child born to Rev. T.V. John and Annamma John in Kerala, India.  She is survived by her daughter, Susan, her husband, James, and children, Sarah and Joshua; her daughter, Shantha, her husband, Samuel, and children, Jonathan and Keziah; and her son Sunil, his wife, Katherine, and children, Elijah and Elisa. She was predeceased by her husband of 59 years, Mr. Mathai Varghese.

 

She grew up in Palghat, Kerala, along with her siblings: Mrs. Mary Thomas, Mrs. Saramma Mathew, and Mr. T. J. Varghese. At the age of 17, she went to Vellore Medical College to study nursing. After working as a nurse in India for several years, she immigrated to the United States in 1971, and lived in Newark, NJ for a short while before moving to New York City. In NYC, she lived in Manhattan and Queens, and then moved to Bergenfield, NJ in 1979. She worked as a registered nurse in a pediatric unit at New York Hospital up until her retirement in 1996. 

 

She was a loving wife and mother and a dedicated nurse, but her greatest devotion was to Jesus Christ. She was wholeheartedly committed to God, to Bible study, and prayer. She had a passion for music, particularly singing, and lent her leadership to worship at the Bergenfield parish of the St. Thomas Evangelical Church, where she was an active member. In 1997 she moved to South Carolina with her husband and son to begin a new life after retirement. While she did return to NJ for a few years, the majority of her later years were spent in South Carolina. 

 

The viewing will take place on Friday, February 2, 2024, from 5pm to 9pm, followed by the funeral service on Saturday, February 3, 2024, from 9am to 11am. Both services will be held at St. Thomas Evangelical Church, 34 Delford Avenue, Bergenfield, NJ 07621. She will be buried at George Washington Cemetery in Paramus, NJ, alongside her husband.

 

All are invited to attend the wake and/or funeral, but for those who are unable to do so, you may watch the livestream of the funeral service from this page. 

 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St. Thomas Evangelical Church, 34 Delford Avenue, Bergenfield, NJ 07621.