Vijayalakshmi Kurella Rao

Our dear loving mother, wife, and grandmother, Vijaya Lakshmi Kurella Rao (known as “Ammaji”) sadly passed away surrounded by those she loved at the age of 76 on Mother’s Day, May 8, 2022, after a brief illness. She leaves behind a lifetime of smiles and laughter, a loving husband, Kurella Rao, her two daughters, Rama (Jeff Metts) and Aravinda (Riley Parker), her five grandchildren, and her two sisters, Ghruhalakshmi (Guvva) and Dhanalakshmi (Bujji). In addition, she leaves behind countless nephews and nieces all over the United States and India and known to them as “Atta,” “Pinni,” “Mamma.”

Vijaya Lakshmi was born in the city of Rajam, Andhra Pradesh, India, the eldest daughter of Prayaga Krishnamurty and Prayaga Satyavati. Vijaya received masters degrees in Social Work and in Public Health. She had a passion for flowering plants, traveling to Belize, Newnan, New Orleans and all over India. She was a woman of deep faith of Sri Aurobindo and Sri Mother and cherished her times at the ashram in Puducherry (Pondicherry), India. She always opened her heart, home, and her kitchen to all of her friends and family both new and old.

Her greatest joy was her family and her five precious grandchildren, Ishan 16, Ava 15, Maya 11, Dylan 10, and Leena 6. She was known to her grandchildren and all their friends as Ammamma and grandma. She spent countless hours driving them to soccer practices, roller-skating at Starlight, spoiling all the kids with chocolates, watching football games, taking her granddaughter to horseback riding lessons and shows, and birthday parties. She was always making friends everywhere she went and maintaining long lasting relationships with many a kind. She brightens every room with her infectious personality, laughter, and smile.

A memorial service celebrating her life will be held for her close family and friends on Saturday, May 14, 2022, at Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home, 4747 Veterans Memorial Blvd. Metairie, LA. Visitation will be held from 9AM – 10:45AM with a service to begin at 10:45AM.