Eleanor E Purushotham

Eleanor Elsie Rao Purushotham was born May 27, 1946, in Pudu, Malaysia to parents Stella and John Rao. She was one of the waves of baby boomers born to parents who survived World War II. In fact, while the war had ended, life was far from normal and when in labor with Eleanor, Stella gave up her hospital bed to a woman whom she thought needed it more and weathered her birth pains on the floor.

When Eleanor was three weeks old, her mother resumed medical school studies in Singapore—previously cut short due to the Japanese occupation. As all students needed to board and her father worked all day as a pharmacist, Eleanor was placed in the care of her maternal grandparents and a host of young aunties who doted on her. Her father would visit her constantly bringing toys and treats every time he came around.

In 1952, her mother Stella graduated from medical school and began work at Youngberg Memorial Hospital—a facility father John helped found. The family resumed a normal and stable life in Singapore that was rounded out with the births of her beloved brothers Edwin and Elmer.

Eleanor attended school from elementary through secondary levels at Paya Labar Methodist Girls School. “Paya Labar MGS, as it was known, was better known to its students as Paya Labar Mi Goreng School,” she once told her daughters.

In college, she originally pursued law, but eventually landed on elementary education—a field that she was made for. In 1971, Eleanor left Singapore to study at Spicer Memorial College in Pune, India. She met Selvakumar Purushotham there and they were married on May 28, 1972, in Singapore.

Eleanor and her husband Selva spent their first year of marriage in India before returning to Southeast Asia to live in Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia. They both taught at Sunny Hill Adventist School. In 1975, Eleanor gave birth to daughter Wilona at Youngberg Hospital in Singapore under the care of her mother Stella and a slew of her colleagues.

After Kuching, Eleanor and her little family made the big move to the United States, arriving in Michigan in March 1978. She and husband Selva attended graduate school at Andrews University where both earned master’s degrees in 1980. Eleanor received hers in Education as a Reading Specialist.

The couple accepted jobs in suburban New York and moved there following graduation. When the family arrived in New York, Eleanor found out she was expecting a much longed for second child. Rachel completed the family in 1981. Eleanor taught grade school at Pearl River Seventh-day Adventist School for the next seven years. During her years at Pearl River new friends became family as she welcomed them to her home for Indian and Singaporean meals, helping some of the ladies try on her saris for fun.

But Eleanor’s health started waning in those years in New York. Surgeries, illness, and extended hospital stays marred what could have been a peaceful life. In 1987, the family moved to Southern California to be near her parents in the hope that the climate and proximity to family would turn things around. Sadly, they never did.

Both Wilona and Rachel finished high school and college at Loma Linda Academy and La Sierra University, but life was heavily permeated with health problems for Eleanor, all while she continued to teach third grade at a local public school. Wilona was married in 1998 and Eleanor and Selva became grandparents when Mia was born in 1999. But in the end, she retired from teaching earlier than expected due to her difficult health situation. Eleanor’s second grandchild Javad was born in 2003 and she was overjoyed to have a little boy in the family.

Post-retirement, Eleanor filled her days with substitute teaching when she could, Bible studies, piano lessons for local kids, and visits to Wilona and grandchildren Mia and Javad in Maryland. Rachel graduated from Loma Linda University School of Medicine in 2008 and was lucky to remain in Loma Linda for her residency, eventually moving to Tucson, Arizona in 2018. Eleanor missed her girls very much.

After breaking her hip in 2016, Eleanor moved to Linda Valley Villa and remained there until a week before her passing in June 2022. She made many friends in the Villa, honed her painting and craft skills, and kept in touch with many friends, family members, and any child who needed a grandma’s touch now and then.

As 2022 progressed, Eleanor’s health got much worse and she knew she needed 24/7 care. She moved to Linda Valley Care Center on June 16 and seemed to be alright for the first few days. Perhaps once there she finally let go, resigning herself to God’s care whatever may come. Her daughters came to her side on Friday, June 24 and Eleanor went to sleep in Jesus on June 26.

Eleanor is survived by her daughters Wilona and son-in-law Hoosh, Rachel and significant other Nick; grandchildren Mia and Javad, brothers Edwin and Elmer, sister Betty, niece, and nephews Walter (Kelly), Edwina, Kevin, and David; and grandniece and nephew Hazel and Mulligan, along with many cousins. She was loved by so many, and she had so much love to give.

While her life on this earth fell far from perfect, she went to her rest assured that all will be made beautiful in heaven. We can’t wait to see her there—healthy, strong, and happy.

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