Elisi Isaac

Elisi was known by many names; Mummy, Ammachi, Mom. She was many things to many people; wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother, and dear friend. She was always there with a smile, an offer of a hug and a samosa. She was strong in faith, loved roses and jasmine, gardening, good homemade Indian food and her family. She recently celebrated her 76th birthday, and succumbed to breast cancer shortly after.

She was born in Kudassanad, India, June 17th, 1947 to Kunjummen and Mariamma Eappen with 6 siblings: Varghese, Rachel, Samuel, George, Annamma, and John. She grew up on the family farm, studious at school, and ever faithful and very active at their church.

After graduating from Government Girls High School in Adoor in 1963, she completed certificates for typing and shorthand. Then she made a career change by achieving her Nursing Diploma at Victoria Memorial Christian Hospital in Andhra Pradesh, India in 1970. She then moved to New Delhi to work at All India Institute and lived there from 1972 to 1974. In 1974, she was sponsored by her cousin Daniel Thomas to immigrate to the United States and lived in the Bronx, NY. In 1975, she met Dr. Chinnama John who had a marriage proposal for her nephew in Mavelikara, India. She then flew to India to meet Dr. John’s nephew, George Isaac and then married him on November 17, 1975 at St. Mary’s Church in Puthiyacavu, Mavelikara, Kerala.

Elisi and George continued to work and live in the Bronx. Elisi had worked at various hospitals including St. Barnabas and North Central Bronx Hospitals. Shortly after, her two children, Bindhu and George were born in 1977 and 1978, respectively. They attended St. Mary’s Orthodox Church in the Bronx, NY for over 45 years, where both children were baptized. They remained in the Bronx until 1983 where they settled into family life in Valley Cottage, NY where she and her husband remained to this day.

She is survived by her husband, George, her two children and their families: Bindhu Newell, Cary, Marlowe and Rowan (Happy Valley, OR); George Isaac, Tina, Declan and Quinn (Murphy, TX), as well as her many family members in India and the US.

Her memory will live on in all of our hearts.