Geevarghese (Kunjukunju) was born on August 31, 1928 to Chandapillai Geevarghese and Rahelamma
Geevarghese of Mulamoottil Melavila house, Kundara, Kerala, India. He was the oldest of nine siblings. He attended M.G.D High School, Kundara, where he graduated first in his class, winning the Catholicos’ academic gold medal. This brought him to the attention of His Holiness Mar Baselios Geevarghese II, the Catholicos of blessed memory, who supported him to attend the University of Kerala, Trivandrum, from which he graduated with BSc Honors 2nd Rank in Chemistry. He later received a M.S degree in Chemistry from City College, New York.
Having excelled at university, Geevarghese began his teaching career in 1951 at the Queen Sheba School in Adwa, Ethiopia, appointed by the order of the Emperor, Haile Selassie. He went on to become the Director of the school and later became the first non-Canadian teacher at Taffari Mokonnen School, the most famous in Addis Ababa, founded by the emperor during his Regency.
Geevarghese was married to Elizabeth (Kunjamma) of Inchakalodill, Chengannur on September 12, 1960, at Kundara Valiapally, officiated by His Holiness, the Catholicos. They moved to Nigeria where Geevarghese was the Principal and Head of Chemistry Department at Hussey College, Warri and then the head of the Department of Chemistry at Igbobi College in Lagos. He was renowned for teaching excellence, with all students passing their exams with As during his tenure, and authoring a popular MacMillan-published O Level chemistry textbook.
The family moved to the United States in 1972 where they resided in NYC and then in Bergenfield NJ.
Geevarghese taught high school Chemistry and Physics at the Barnard School in Manhattan and then at a Catholic Girls School in NJ.
Through his career and in retirement, Chandapillai Sir, as he was known, was an active member of the church and a devoted student of the Holy Bible, sharing his knowledge and wisdom with young and old in churches, ecumenical prayer groups and family gatherings. He was the founding Headmaster of the St. Thomas Orthodox Church Sunday School in Yonkers, NY, one of the first Orthodox parishes in the USA.
Geevarghese and Elizabeth resided in Richmond, Texas from 2007 where Elizabeth passed away in 2009. His final home was in New Jersey, where he resided with his son, Roi, and near his daughter, Ruby.He is survived by his two children, four grandchildren (Jasmine, Mia, Christian and Brandon), three brothers (Rev. Fr. John Geevarghese, M. G. Philipos & George Geevarghese) and two sisters (Mariamma Chandapillai & Saramma George).
Geevarghese was a caring and devoted husband, father, and grandfather, who took tremendous joy in the upbringing of his immediate family and of his extended family. Geevarghese attributed his life path and extended family’s success to God’s grace, which allowed the fateful intervention of His Holiness, the Catholicos in his education. Always conscious of this divine grace, he was a committed philanthropist who cared deeply about the disadvantaged and gave freely to those in need throughout his life.
Geevarghese’s passion for teaching, his Christian faith, his friendships, and his family will be long remembered and deeply missed by all. He will always remain in the hearts and minds of his family and close friends.
A funeral service for Mr. Chandapillai will be held Tuesday, August 23, 2022 at 8:45 AM at St. Mary's Malankara Orthodox Church, 9915 Belknap Rd. Sugar Land, Tx 77498. Following the funeral service will be a graveside service at 11:30 am at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery, 12800 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77077.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.AdvantageHoustonFunerals.com for the Chandapillai family.
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