Grace Mathew Geevarghese
Grace Mathew Geevarghese was born on April 23, 1947, in Mavelikara (Ezhakadavu), Kerala, India. She was the only daughter of Dr. K. Mathew and Mrs. Annamma Mathew. Grace has five brothers (Isaac, Thomas, Rajan, George and Abraham). She was a brilliant student who loved the sciences and was known for her dedication to her studies. She excelled and was destined for great things, which she achieved both in India and in the United States.
Grace was a young, dedicated and faithful woman who married Rev. Fr. Dr. P.K. Geevarghese (affectionately known as Ambi Achen) on June 14, 1965. Both of them gave great importance to education, and they settled into their new home in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. P.K. (Ambi Achen) was a sociology professor at Gettysburg College, and Grace continued her studies there after starting at Assumption College in India. She perfected an American English accent with every interaction, in addition to practicing while watching television like many new citizens. They would travel to communities throughout the U.S. where he would be a guest minister on Sunday mornings. He benefited from Grace’s excellent skills as a communicator, as she kept up connections with all the friends they made along the way.
Grace's family and Christian faith would be the primary focus of her life. In 1968, the couple welcomed their firstborn son, Sunil, born on Grace's birthday. While they acclimated to American food – including Grace learning to cook American Thanksgiving dishes authentically – they did not like the Northern snowy winters. When P.K. (Ambi Achen) took a summer teaching assignment in Chattanooga, he fell in love with the climate and topography. With an offer in hand to join the faculty of the University of Chattanooga, they moved their young family to the South. Their second son, Salin, was born in 1970. Grace began corralling, caring, and teaching her children to be disciplined, successful, empathetic, and faithful. Always wanting a girl, her prayers were answered in 1976 when her daughter Sajeena was born. Grace poured her life into her children.
The Geevarghese household was complete, but their extended family continued to grow as P.K. (Ambi Achen) and Grace became the gateway family for their siblings. They supported them to come to America and start new lives. Siblings and spouses would all arrive, orienting to the country with stays at the Chattanooga home on their way to various destinations such as Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, and beyond. Grace's love and care kept the extended family united. She became the maternal figure for generations of family members, modeling how to adjust, persevere, and succeed in America. The family deeply respected and loved her.
Driven by her childhood dream of becoming a physician, Grace prayed for and took great joy in her children, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren becoming physicians, lawyers, and professionals. But, Grace's legacy didn't stop with her family. She completed her bachelor's degree at the University of Chattanooga and started as a teacher in 1977, just after Sajeena was born. Grace was able to balance her work and family life and began her career as a student teacher at Dalewood Middle School. She learned how to lead in diverse settings and commanded the attention and affection of students, including athletes who often towered over her. She moved on to Riverside High School and taught Biology until the school closed, transitioning to Brainerd High School afterward. While teaching a full load at Brainerd, she finished her Masters degree from Trevecca Nazarene College. Grace retired from Chattanooga Public Schools in 2002.
During her decades of service in teaching, Grace maintained high standards of excellence for her students. Most of her students were from diverse backgrounds, and she would often tell them, "I expect the same from you as I do my own children." Grace was known for her highly disciplined classroom, meticulous attention to detail, and maternal instincts, which had a powerful influence on youth. Her children grew accustomed to hearing an enthusiastic "Mrs. Geevarghese!" exclaimed from the corners of stores and restaurants whenever they were out and about. She was always delighted to meet her students around town and greet them by name with a smile while inquiring about how they were doing and coaching them to excel.
Grace often worried about the effectiveness of her teaching and questioned if her students were actually learning. However, right on time and seemingly straight out of a movie plot, her students achieved the highest science scores in the state just as she was retiring. Although she worked without much notoriety until her retirement, it was clear that she was always highly regarded by her colleagues throughout the city and state. The exceptional performance of her students on the state assessment was a fitting end to her outstanding career and sacrificial service to the community.
P.K. (Ambi Achen) and Grace had looked forward to relaxing in their retirement years in the 2000s, but their plans were derailed when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Grace cared for him lovingly and tirelessly until he passed away in 2018. Just when Grace was looking forward to spending time with her grandkids and traveling, she received a diagnosis of corticobasal syndrome (CBS) in 2020, an incurable and aggressive neurodegenerative condition. She came to Johns Hopkins Hospital for specialized care and joined the household of her son Salin in Maryland. Over the next four years, Grace fought the disease progression and blessed her family members, caregivers, and friends. Her infectious smile and contagious laugh were a gift to all who knew her. She never fell ill until three weeks ago during Holy Week. Over this time, her family was continuously at her bedside. Grace eventually succumbed to the effects of CBS and passed away on April 15, 2024, while holding her son Salin's hand.
Her three children and their families survive her: Sunil, Liby, Sanjaly, Sanjith, and Sanjana from Nashville, TN; Salin, Asha, and Sanjay from Ellicott City, MD; and Sajeena, Craig, Sunidhi, and Sudhir from Victor, NY.
May her joyful spirit, sacrificial love, and faith in the Lord continue to sustain and uplift us.
The family will received friends for public viewing from 6–8 p.m. on Friday, April 26, at the East Brainerd Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home (8214 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421).
Additional viewing and funeral services for Mrs. Geevarghese will be held on Saturday, April 27, from 9–11 a.m. at Christ United Methodist Church (8645 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421).
Interment will follow at Hamilton Memorial Gardens from 12-12:30 p.m. (5351 Highway 153, Hixson, TN 37343).
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a tribute gift in her memory, under Grace Geevarghese at www.CurePSP.org/donate