Swarna Krothapalli

She was born in Amartaluru, Andhra Pradesh, India. She completed her graduate studies in Zoology and Marine Biology at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, India. She met and married Ranga Rao Krothapalli in 1965 while both were pursuing graduate studies. They came to the United States in 1966 when her husband joined Tulane University, New Orleans, to pursue post-doctoral research. In 1972 they moved to Pensacola, FL, where Ranga joined the University of West Florida faculty. After raising two children, Swarna went back to school to obtain a degree in Medical Technology, and worked at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola, first as a medical technologist and then as an Education Coordinator. In 1986 she joined the University of West Florida as Program Director of Medical Technology and served until retirement in 2009. She was honored with an appointment as Associate Professor Emeritus. After she and her husband retired, they moved to Austin, TX, in 2010.

She is survived by her loving husband; daughter Padma and husband Adam Horvit, and their two children Andy and Rachel of Austin, TX; son Krishnamohan and wife Laura, and their daughter Sarina of Redondo Beach, CA. She is also survived by her sisters Jyoti Alapati, Bindu Puvvada, and Rajyasri Bangaru, and sister-in-law Nirmala Devi wife of deceased brother Sreeramulu Tummala, and their families.

Swarna valiantly battled breast cancer for over five years. The family expresses gratitude to Dr. Beth Hellerstedt and the staff at Texas Oncology for providing exceptional care to Swarna with love and compassion. The family is also thankful to the staff of the oncology unit and the physicians at St.David's Round Rock Medical Center for their tender care during Swarna's confinement during the final month of her life.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Cancer Society.

Prayer services will be held on Saturday, March 8, 2014 at 10:00 am at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home in Pflugerville.

Please visit Swarna’s obituary at www.cookwaldencapitalparks.com