Lakshmi Krishnamoorthy

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Lakshmi Krishnamoorthy on December 5th, 2025 with her eldest son by her side.

Lakshmi was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on November 2nd, 1944 to Ramaswamy Iyer and Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan. The fifth of 9 children, she was the first-born of 3 daughters. As the matriarch of her siblings, Lakshmi worked as a young woman to help support the family. This was a role she took very seriously, with the exception of introducing her siblings to non-vegetarian meals on the sly — a rebellious act for that time. A beautiful and stylish young woman, she was tenaciously pursued by Chidambaram “Krish” Krishnamoorthy and after 7 years of his persistence, they were married in 1969. The couple were blessed with three children: Giri, Brintha, and Vinodh. A tireless mother and wife, she had her hands full with Krish and the 3 rascals and was grateful for the help of their extended family in KL and Penang.

The young family moved to New Jersey in 1982 and encountered many of the challenges of immigrant families. As they were making their start, Lakshmi often worked multiple jobs while Krish was moving through the ranks of the corporate world. This included selling luggage and owning/managing a gift card shop before ultimately settling in a career as a successful and highly regarded administrative assistant. This period in the 1980s saw Lakshmi as the best dressed in the office, with her shoulder pads, colorful suits, matching handbags, adorned nails and committed work ethic. She loved her jobs and had a friend in every department. Amidst juggling work and home life, she was always a doting and present mother and spoiled her family daily with a wide variety of delicious fresh-cooked south Indian meals. Her meals were infused with kindness, generosity and love- family and friends never missed an opportunity to eat in Lakshmi’s kitchen.

After many years in New Jersey where the couple built a full life with longtime friends, Lakshmi and Krish moved to Florida in retirement. They developed a strong network of friends in the Bradenton area and enjoyed playing bridge, walking, attending cultural events and sharing meals. After Krish’s passing in 2021, Lakshmi moved to Portland, Oregon to be closer to her children. Living only a few blocks from them, Lakshmi again became the nexus of an eclectic and welcoming community of friends she met socializing at her gym, cooking together, and walking in her neighborhood. She was a natural at bringing people together, creating a card playing group and organizing lunches to introduce people to each other and deepen their bonds.

These are the facts of her life, which are easy to recount and quantify. What is more difficult to measure is her quiet generosity, genuine kindness and true sincerity. She was always thinking about others before herself. Even on the last day of her life, she taught a friend how to make an Indian dish for another who had just undergone surgery.

She had a kind of magical aura about her that was hard to explain- peaceful, calming, and benevolent. She loved being in the middle of it all, but with a quiet presence that drew those around her closer. Comfortable in her role as the listener, she had a deep strength in the face of tremendous challenges with Parkinson’s disease. In these last years of her life, this strength and perseverance served as a guide for us all. When she seemed to be the one who should have needed our support, she was in fact, the one holding everyone together. We will all miss her smiling face, infectious laugh and boundless generosity.

Lakshmi is survived by her younger siblings Savithri, Saradha and her husband Thana, her brother Pani and his wife Serene, her children and their spouses- Giri and Naveena, Brintha and Kristian and Vinodh and Megan, along with numerous cousins, nieces and nephews scattered throughout the world. She is the Paati for Maija, Annika, Julien, Viren, Xavier, Alia and many of their friends. She will be missed by her numerous friends in Malaysia, New Jersey, Florida and Oregon. May she finally rest in peace and forever be in our hearts.

For those who are able, please join us for a celebration of her life at Finley Sunset Hills Mortuary in Portland, Oregon on December 14, 2025 at 11 am, PST (2 pm EST). A live stream of the memorial service will be available at the funeral home’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FinleySunsetHills/live_videos.

In lieu of flowers, please consider celebrating Lakshmi’s generous and selfless spirit by giving back—through volunteering or a simple act of kindness toward another person or your community.