Dr. Tataiah Koneru

Dr. Tataiah Koneru passed away peacefully at his home on February 1, 2023, surrounded by his loved ones. He was preceded in death by his son Rama Krishna (d. 1961) and beloved wife of sixty-five years, Neelamani Koneru (d. 2020).

Dr. Koneru was born on September 1, 1932, in Gudapadu, Andhra Pradesh, India. As a young boy, he was fascinated by the world around him and understanding how things worked, leading to a lifelong pursuit of education. Always an independent and forward thinker, Dr. Koneru enrolled himself in middle school. When no high school was available in his area, he left his village to live with a friend of his father to continue his education. Dr. Koneru excelled in every subject, eventually earning an engineering degree in Bangalore, India. In the 1950’s, Dr. Koneru came to the United States to pursue his master's degree in mechanical engineering at Oklahoma State University. He subsequently received his Ph.D. from the State University of Iowa in 1960.

Dr. Koneru and his wife Neelamani moved several times throughout the United States and made close friends in Iowa City, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Houston, and San Antonio. In fact, while living in Houston, he founded the Telugu Cultural Association (TCA) with his good friend, Kutumba Rao Tummala (TK), in 1976. Dr. Koneru served as the first President of TCA and always fondly recalled his time in the organization.

In his career as a mechanical engineer, he worked on lubricants for high-altitude gears, coal slurry fuels, and fatigue patterns of ball bearings. With a vast knowledge of mechanics and an analytical mind, he was known as someone who could fix anything that was broken. Not only was he a dedicated engineer, but Dr. Koneru was also deeply devoted to his family. He and Neelamani cherished their two children, Suresh and Rupa. Their adoration for their children later extended to Suresh’s wife, Cathi Snider, and Rupa’s husband Raja Naidu.

Dr. Koneru’s five grandchildren, Arya, Malini, Nina, Menaka, and Sena, whom he affectionately called his “diamonds in the rough,” were the greatest joys of his life. He was always eager to share his love of math, science, history, and photography with them. He was immensely proud of his granddaughters’ many achievements and instilled in them his work ethic, ambition, and compassion for others. The influence of their Tata (the Telugu word for grandfather) will continue to shape their lives for years to come.

Tata will be remembered as an innovative problem solver, mentor, and loving father and grandfather. He was considered a trailblazer when he moved to the United States in 1955. His courage and adventurous spirit inspired many others to follow in his footsteps. He remained a truly devoted family man until his last days and maintained his sweet, caring, and gentle disposition throughout his final years with Alzheimer’s disease. He will be greatly missed for the incredible man that he was.

The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the many friends and family who offered their support in his final years. He thoroughly enjoyed the food and sweets he received from different parts of Texas, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Louisiana, and India, as well as the loving care and attention given to him by Amanda, Angie, Gloria, Isabel, Jim, Lana, Mel, Reveca, Sandra, and Violet who made his final days more comfortable and enjoyable. We would also like to thank his many physicians, Drs. Gerald Winakur, Edward Sargent, Neela Patel, Diane Solomon, Alicia Parker, Leroy Jones, and Laura Novak, for all of their care and guidance.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations are made to the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio.

FUNERAL SERVICESATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 202310:30 AMPORTER LORING MORTUARY WEST(NEAR SEA WORLD)

Private Rituals to begin at 9:30 am and Public Viewing and Memorial Service to begin at 10:30 am. To view a live stream of the services, please click here.