Joy Varghese

Joy Varghese was born on September 8, 1940, in Nellimala, a rural village near Kumbanad, Kerala, India. His father, Puthuparampil Varghese (P. V.) Varghese, was a respected primary school teacher, and his mother, Mariamma (Mathai) Varghese, a devoted homemaker. He was the firstborn son to parents who had suffered the heartbreak of multiple infant losses before his birth, so he was cherished from his first day – a ‘joy’ his entire life. His childhood home was made of mud, thatched with coconut leaves, without electricity or indoor plumbing. Despite the scarcity of resources during World War II, he was rich in nurturing from his religious and hardworking parents, loving siblings, and a close-knit community of neighbors and extended family. He often told stories of his childhood, and of his chores that included tending to the family’s livestock and helping with seasonal plantings - laborious tasks that had to be completed before he went to school each morning. These responsibilities ingrained in him a legendary work ethic and a natural green thumb.

Joy’s academic prowess was evident from his early years, earning him accolades and recognition for his high marks, continuing through his graduation in 1956 from Noel Memorial High School, Kumbanad. For the following year, he attended St. Thomas College in Kozhenchery, Kerala for his ‘pre-university’ course and passed with high honors. In 1957, he ventured a thousand miles north to the bustling city of Bhopal leaving behind the familiarity of his small village, to attend college while living with his older sister. In Bhopal he made lifelong friends from different faiths, learned Hindi to fluency, and cultivated a love for ‘classic’ Bollywood films and music. Even to the end of his life, he was a person who started and ended each day with prayer, and who sang the tunes of Talat Mahmood, Mohammed Rafi, or Lata Mangeshkar as he shaved and dressed each morning. Such was his appreciation for music, that he often invited friends (and at times, even strangers) to join him in impromptu jam sessions as he enthusiastically played the guitar or harmonium. The results were not always melodious, but he enjoyed the collaboration just the same.

In 1961, Joy graduated with a diploma in mechanical engineering from Sardar Vallabhbhai (S.V.) Polytechnic College Bhopal. He then joined Heavy Electricals Bhopal in the engineering department. The highlight of this period of his life was his selection as one of only three individuals out of the entire company chosen for specialized training in Manchester, England. He fondly remembered his time as an intern working with colleagues from around the world, boarding with a local British family, and exploring London and Paris during weekend excursions.

Joy and Rajam (Mani) Varghese married within days of being introduced. His version of the story was that he was playing cricket with his friends in Bhopal when he received a telegram from his father stating simply ‘Come home. Your wedding is fixed for next week.’ Fortunately, his initial reservations changed quickly upon meeting his shy and beautiful ‘potential’ bride at her parent’s home. Joy and Mani were married on April 21, 1969, and recently celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary. They were blessed with three children – Jenny in 1970, Jerry in 1973, and Renju in 1978.

Besides his wedding day and the births of his children and grandchildren, Joy said that August 12, 1972, the day he immigrated to America, was the greatest day of his life. He embraced the ideals of the ‘land of opportunity’. Arriving with the proverbial ‘$100 in his pocket’, he shared that his first ever job in the United States was assembling sewing machine parts at Singer for $2.60 an hour. Undaunted, in 1975, he received his master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, his Professional Engineer (P.E.) designation in the 1980’s, and in 1996, a second master’s in engineering management from University of Tennessee – Chattanooga. Joy began his career in the burgeoning nuclear power industry in the 1970’s. Throughout his almost 50-year career, he worked for several utility companies as a member of teams overseeing nuclear power plants in PA, NJ, NC, AL, and TN. An early ‘claim to fame’ was being part of the inspection team after the infamous Three Mile Island meltdown in 1979. For his efforts, he was rewarded with a t-shirt that he wore proudly for decades until it became so threadbare that it was literally unwearable. In 1987, he became a dedicated employee of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). As a person who had worked in the nuclear power industry from its infancy, and who had experienced both its growth and loss of glamour, Joy was respected at his office as a wise and humble mentor to his coworkers, generously sharing his knowledge. He truly enjoyed his work, and only retired from TVA because he reached the company’s maximum age limit for employees. He promptly started a new job the following Monday as a contractor doing the exact same thing.

In addition to engineering, gardening, and music, Joy’s passions included sports. He was an avid and competitive tennis player until his health declined. Even in his last days, from his hospital bed he asked how his current favorite Novak Djokovic was faring in the 2023 US Open. He was a spirited fan of (most) New York professional teams - Knicks, Giants, and Mets - and a diehard Tennessee Volunteer. Visitors to his home were often ‘invited’ to ‘watch the game’ and did whether they wanted to or not. Many bonding moments were created while cheering on his beloved teams.

Joy’s greatest delight in life was his family. He nurtured deep and affectionate connections that spanned both his and his wife’s immediate and extended families. Despite being the undisputed patriarch of such a large clan, he carried himself with a rare blend of humility and authenticity, endearing himself to siblings, brothers- and sisters-in law, nieces, nephews, and especially his wife and children. His love was evident to each family member, and in return, he was held in deep affection by all who knew him. He had been a consistent and hardworking provider his entire life, and generously shared his gifts – not just material blessings, but his intellect, humor, and wisdom – to all fortunate enough to share his company. His legacy is etched in the memory of his selfless acts, like sponsoring each member of his and his wife’s families as they embarked on their own American stories. Without expecting anything in return, he graciously opened the doors of his home, setting the tone where family members found not only food and shelter, but a sense of belonging as they acclimated to a new country. In this noble way, he enabled countless individuals – directly and indirectly – to chase their own dreams in the ‘land of opportunity’.

Joy’s generous spirit was truly extraordinary. His sons tell the story of how, during a visit to Kerala in the mid 2000s, Joy became friendly with a man of a different faith who was hired to care for their rented apartment. Over the weeks of their stay, Joy learned details of the caretaker’s life, of his abject poverty, and his dream of replacing the broken-down shack where he lived with a ‘house with a roof’. Moved to action, Joy shocked the caretaker by purchasing the house for him. Overwhelmed with emotion, the caretaker said, “I’ve never met a man like you before”. That was a true statement - he was one of a kind. Joy demonstrated true Christianity by giving sacrificially while expecting no praise or publicity.

Joy was one of the early members of the Atlanta Mar Thoma church, making the 8-hour roundtrip drive monthly from his home in Knoxville, TN. After moving to Chattanooga in the late 1990’s, he became an active member of the Chattanooga Mar Thoma Church, and truly enjoyed the fellowship of its close-knit community of believers. In September 2021, Joy and Mani moved to Atlanta to be closer to their daughter and son-in-law. His health had been deteriorating over the past few years, and he courageously fought every health battle until the Lord called him home on August 22, 2023. Joy is survived by his wife Mani, his daughter and son-in-law Jenny and Alex Idichandy with granddaughters Leah and Anna (Atlanta), son and daughter-in-law Jerry and Dawn Varghese with grandson Jeevan (Florida), and son and daughter-in-law Renju and Gina Varghese (Atlanta). He is also survived by a multitude of beloved extended family members around the country and in India, and a host of dear friends who were considered family.

Joy Varghese was obviously not a perfect man, but he was a godly man, a ‘man’s man’, a Renaissance man, a humble man, a man of few words, and a man of high character, intelligence, and integrity. To honor such a life, one can pray consistently, plant a garden, pursue another degree, learn an instrument, donate anonymously to someone in need, and of course, always cheer on the Giants.

A visitation for Joy will be held Friday, September 1, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM at Mar Thoma Church Atlanta, 6015 Old Stone Mountain Road, Stone Mountain, GA 30087. A funeral service will occur Saturday, September 2, 2023 from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM at Mar Thoma Church Atlanta.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.eternalhillsfuneralhome.com for the Varghese family.