Joe’s Newsletter 2024 – Vadaketh Family

News update about family members

Dear members of the Vadaketh Family born or living in Malaysia, Singapore, England, America, Australia and New Zealand,

Greetings and Good Wishes!

The last newsletter I sent out was in 2014, ten years ago! Since then various events have occured among the family members living in these regions. In view of these, I have been asked to prepare an update of what has happened to our family members, to let them know what these changes are. For easy reference I have prepared them under the heads of the families who had first come to this part of the world (Malaysia, Singapore, Australia).

I sincerely hope that the list will be meaningful and useful for you, young and old, alike, as it lets you know who the family members are, where they are now and their present status. I have also attempted to include who their children and grandchildren are and what they are doing at present.

It has not been an easy task to gather this information. I thank all those who readily responded for the information needed. Whatsapp has been a big help!

VE CHACKO FAMILY

Anna/Kunjam + K.T. Thomas

June Thomas: Retired teacher, has moved from her family house in Chempaka Avenue, Sennett Estate, Singapore to Potong Pasir in Singapore in December 2017. She remains active in church, music and related activities.

Dr. Ray Thomas and Dianne, now live a retired life in Bedford near Cambridge, England. Their children: Eldeset son Andrew and wife Bhupinder Kandola live and work in Bedford. Andrew has his own AI Business. They have a son, Max, who is almost three years old! Abigail, who is an architect, and her husband, Andre House, live in London. They have two sons, Zach (3 and a half) and Theo (just born in October!). Youngest daughter Katherine Joy is a nurse. She and her husband Russell Dalton live and work in Sussex. They have two children – Evie (2 and a half) and Reuben (6 months).

Dawn Thomas lives in a suburb of Melbourne. Her children are Dr Jared Mathai, a qualified Oncologist, who lives in Melbourne with his and wife Julie a GP Nurse and son Judah, 7; and Dr Sean Mathai who lives with his father Dr John Mathai in Melbourne and continues to work as a Research Editor for Medical Journals.

Lily + Stanley Padman

Lily Padman had moved from Parit Buntar in Perak to live in Klang with her eldest son Dato Capt. David Padman and wife Datin Serene Padman. Lily Pengal, after a long period of recovery from a fall, passed away on Feb 13, 2024 at the age of 96. She was loved by all family and church members and will be missed by all.

Dato Capt. David Padman & wife Datin Serene Padman live in Klang. David, after his retirement from the Westport in Port Klang, is now a consultant with the Ports & Logistics Industry. They are actively involved in the church’s worship ministry. Their children: Ir Dilip and wife Amy Yu got married on Dec 26 2020 and live in Sentul. Davina and husband Joshua Davey live in Perth, where Davina runs her own music school while Joshua works in a Logistics company. Youngest son Daniel Padman is First Officer with Malaysia Airlines and lives with his parents in Klang

Dr Samuel Padman (Shammy) and wife Shanta moved from Parit Buntar to Subang. Sam works as a GP at Anita Clinic in Klang, Shan is a retired teacher. Their children: Both Laura and Brandon are working.

Ir Paul. Prakash Padman & wife Mary (Omana) live in Sydney. Omana has retired recently while Prakash still works with Sydney Trains. Omana is busy teaching Scripture at a local school. Their children: Leah Shael is married to Daniel Wares. Shael is a Vet while her husband works with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Infrastructure & Security. Meta Sandhya has a Masters in Education and works at a Child-Care Centre.

Peter Padman and wife Ivy live in Petaling Jaya with their two children. Peter is GM of Le Quadri Hotel in KL. while Ivy is a dedicated homemaker. Children: Shenna Ann has a degree in Communications and works in the Marketing Dept of Taylor’s University while Joash has a Bio Med degree and is working with Pfizer.

Tan Sri Dato VC George + Rebecca/Kochu

VC George turned 93 on Dec13, 2023 and still does a little legal consultation. VC wrote a popular book entitled Some stories I have told and some that I haven’t donating the proceeds to various charities. Puan Sri Datin Dr Rebecca George (Kochu) passed away on June 17, 2022. Her loss is deeply felt not only by the family but by countless friends and those in the Medical/ Pediatric fields where she had contributed much. They have three children:

Chacko Vadaketh (Naveen) wears numerous hats as actor, voice-over artist and emcee. He is on the boards of the National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (FINAS) as well as RIMAU, an NGO dedicated to the preservation of the Malayan tiger.

Anna (Anushya) and husband Jacob Alexander (Tony) continue to live and work in Melbourne. Anushya is a Special Counsel at a Law Firm, Ryan CarlisleThomas, while Tony has his own Management Consultancy, Blue Gravity. Their children: Alexander (Xander) completed his Law Degree at University of Adelaide in 2022 and has completed his Legal Training and is now waiting for admission as a Solicitor. Xander’s twin brother George completed his Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Accounting at Monash University in 2022 and is now pursuing a Medical degree at University of Notre Dame in Sydney. He will complete his clinical years in Melbourne in 2025 and in Ballarat the same year.

Dr Anuka Rebecca, is a Consultant Physician in Rehabilitation Medicine at Royal Rehab Private Hospitals in Sydney. Her husband Allan John Parapuram is a Senior Lawyer & Company Secretary in Sydney, Their daughter, Tianka Susy, is in her third year of Medical Science at the Sydney Uni.

Alice and Moses Edwin

Alice and Moses, retired teachers who are in their 90s, moved from Dunedin in New Zealand to live with their son in Kuala Lumpur. Their children are:

Tushar a retired lecturer (Dunedin University) and her husband Anthony Robbins, a lecturer at the University of Dunedin. Their children are: Erena and Allan
Tarun Edwin and his wife Devi have lived in in KL for more than a decade now, after moving to Malaysia from Arizona. Tarun’s company produces artificial stents for dialysis and arm/leg bypass. Devi works as Nursing Officer at the Desa Park City International School. Their children are: Nisha, who has finished her medical studies in the US and is now working in Los Angeles; and Jalen who is studying at the University of Arizona in Phoenix.
Tamara is married to Steven Kidson and they live in Dunedin, New Zealand. They have two children: Kiran and Roshan.

VC Jacob + Esmol

After a long period of difficult living following the surgery on his left knee, Jacob passed away Aug 26, 2023. Jacob who was very active in family matters and church related activities. His children are:

Shibu Vadaketh who works as a Technology Fellow at the Asia School of Business and lives in USJ20, Subang Jaya;
Suchit Jacob and wife Sunita live in Klang. Their children are: Samira John and Shaquil Jacob John;
Sharmini Ann Jacob lives in Klang.

Sally + George Thomas

Sally lives in Chennai, India with her husband George Thomas (Kunjumon). Sally has retired from her teaching job and is now busy with church and the Sunday School choir. Her husband has retired from MRF as an Accountant. Their children are:

Natasha and husband Nikhlesh Sarup live and work in Wanganui, New Zealand. Their children: Rahul, Simmone and Ramone.
George Thomas (Sunil) and wife Carla live and work in Michigan, in the United States. Their daughter Raica is finishing her High School there.

VE VERGHESE FAMILY

Annie Verghese

Annie, the eldest in the family turned 93 in March, 2024. She has been living alone for many years but now has a living-in maid to help with household work. She continues to have a lovely garden with flowering plants and vegetables.

Easau died on Sep 25, 2012, and wife Hanu, on Oct 30, 2021. A sad event for the family as Hanu was very active till the end in church work, tuition and a prayer warrior. Their children are:

Manoj, a real estate developer, and his wife Nicole, who live in Hawaii;
Captain Vadakethu Easau Kuruvilla (Dhinoj) and wife Sheela Kuruvilla who live in Kuala Lumpur with their two children Dheila and Shenoj. Dhinoj is Master Mariner Sr. Port Captain with Asia Diopex Holdings Bhd. and Sheela is a English Lecturer at Asia Pacific University of Technology. Dhiela has a Bachelors In Chemical Engineering and works as A Recruitment Consultant with Hiredly while Shenoj has a Bachelors in Mass Communication and plans to do her Masters in Ministry in January 2025 at the Bible College of Malaysia in Petaling Jaya.
Tanuja and husband Joseph Edwin (Ranjan) are now living in Subang Metropark. Ranjan has retired from his work at Petronas and is currently working on his debut novel. Tanuja is involved in church administration and social work. Both are talented in music and perform at family functions. Their daughter Triya has completed her Medical studies.

Susie + KO Chandy

Susie passed passed away after a long period of illness with Parkinson’s disease in 2008. Her daughters:

Shoba passed away in December 2008, and her husband Kurian Zachariah, a retired Electrical Engineer looks after a children’s orphanage.. He has adopted a son Paul who lives with him in Bukit Kinrara, Puchong.
Rebecca (Becky), after teaching for a while in Japan, has returned to teach in the American International School in Chennai. Her husband Thomas Thomas (Kochumon) does voluntary work in Chennai. Their children are: Shinu and husband Joel now live and work in Shanghai, China. They have two young daughters, Ziv and Thea.
Susan and husband John Zachariah live in Subang Jaya. Susan is a teacher while John is a Business Entrepreneur. Their children: Zachary and Xander have completed their degree courses and working in Subang.
Ann Marie, who left her work with The Star Media Group five years ago, is now a freelance editor/writer. Her children are: Joanne Raena who married Tyler Dennis from Texas. They both live and work in Los Angeles; Mark Ryan, after completing his bachelor’s degree, works as a branded content writer with The Star, a local English newspaper in Malaysia.

VV George (Joe) + Dr Jessie George

Joe and Jessie continue to live a retired life in Kuala Lumpur. Joe is active in the USJ Congregation of the Mar Thoma church in Petaling Jaya; Jessie does voluntary work in Diabetic Counseling.

Their children are:

Sharmila, a lawyer by profession has migrated to Melbourne and is presently working as a Risk, Audit and Compliance Officer with Gallagher Bassett in Melbourne. Her children are: Rhea Varkey, who after passing her degree in Psychology, is currently doing her Masters in Counseling at Victoria University in Melbourne; Andrew has just completed his final year of High School.
Rohan George celebrated his 50th Birthday on Sept 24, 2024, and lives with his parents. He is currently job hunting after leaving his previous job in a Golf Club.
Shalini and husband James Varughese moved to Melbourne many years ago. Shalini, an accountant by profession is currently working as Accounts Receivable Manager at Advara Health care in Melbourne, while her husband James is Head of Procurement NGT at Alstom, in Melbourne. Their children: Aiden is in year 10 and an active soccer player. Mikaela is in year 5 and is active in sports.

Rev. VE THOMAS FAMILY

Dr Easaw Thomas (Vijayen) & Dr Anjula

Vijayen after a long period of work as an Anesthetist in the Government is now retired. Anjula is a Pathologist who continues to work in a Private Hospital in Singapore. Their children are:

Vidhya, a Graduate from Melbourne University, works in Singapore as a Consultant. Her husband Jaymit works as a Producer. They have 2 children – Amaya and Aurelia.
Sudhir Thomas, a Stanford Graduate, has been working as a Journalist/Writer in Singapore.
Shaleen, who has a Masters degree from Melbourne, lives and works in Singapore as a Healthcare Administrator.

George Thomas and Dr Omana

George (Susheel) passed away in Toronto, where he had lived after moving from Singapore. His wife Dr Omana Thomas retired in 2020. Their children are:

Jayanth, who works as a Bodily Injury Adjuster at an Insurance Company as well as a Realtor. He is also the Sunday School Superintendent in the Mar Thoma church there. He married Jasmine in September 2014 and she works at the Dept. of Experimental Learning at the Toronto Metropolitan University.

Suchitra, their daughter, is working as the Director of Claims at Chubb Insurance.

Capt. James Thomas & Dr Jessie Thomas

Capt James (Anand) continue to live in Singapore. Anand has retired while Jessie continues to Lecture at the Temasek Polytechnic but part time now. Their children are:

Sanjeev, who has a Law degree and is teaching;
Daughter Tanya , who passed her Law Degree, got married to Jason Mahendra Singh of Fiji in March 2024. They both now live and work in New York.

Dr Annmarie Thomas and Ganeson Shanmugam

Malini and Ravi continue to live in Petaling Jaya . Both are active in Business ventures. Malini is active in the USJC branch of the Mar Thoma Church, while Ravi is active in Sports Organisations – Football, Hockey and Badminton.

VE MATHEW FAMILY

Mrs VE Mathew

Kuttyamma Kochamma just celebrated her 102nd birthday in Kuriannor where Aunty lives alone and is being looked after by her children in turn. At present twin Susie from Bangalore is there looking after her mother. In the past, her siblings Annette, Vinayen, Mary and Vinod, have all come to help look after her. Her children are:

Annette, who used to live and work in Sydney and Melbourne, has moved to Bangalore after her marriage to Air Commodore (Ret) Arun Benjamin. Arun worked for a number of years at a Pilots Training School in Melaka .

Easaw Mathew (Vinod) and wife Susie (Thangamma) continue to live in Melbourne, where Vinod runs his Diamond Tools Factory. He celebrated 74th Birthday and Wedding Anniversary with Susie recently. They have 3 children:

Vijay and wife Sneha were married in 2016, live and work in Brisbane. Vijay is currently working with a State Member of Parliament while Sneha is a nurse. They are blessed with 3 children: Olive is 7 going on 8, Eva is 6 and Joash is 3.5 yrs old.

Second son Santhosh lives and works in Melbourne;
Youngest son Sunil lives with his parents.

Capt, Kurien Mathew (Vinayen) and Sharon, live in Melbourne; Vinayan is now working with Vinodh’s Diamond Tools Factory. Sharon is active in church work and cooking for the church especially the elderly members. They have 3 children:

Esther, who has a Masters Degree in Marketing, is teaching in a Christian School in Melbourne.

Timothy, with a Business Information Degree, is working in Melbourne. He got engaged recently and plans to get married next year.

Youngest daughter Naomi has a Masters Degree in Education and teaches in Melbourne. Her husband Rajeev works in Melbourne and they are blessed with 2 children- Lara and Alaiah.

Mary Mathew and husband Ranjit continue to live in Melbourne. Both have retired but are kept busy with grandchildren and church work. The have two daughters:

Jaya , who has a Masters Degree in Psychology, married Jessy recently. They live and work in Melbourne.

Nithya and her husband Nicholas live and work in Melbourne. They have a child: Rayna Glen.

Susie and husband Ajit used to live and work in Bangalore. Susie is now looking after mother in Kurianoor while Ajit has gone to look after his father who is105 in Chennai. They have two children:

Vikram, who was working in Melbourne has now moved to Brisbane and is working as a Business Analyst, while wife Ashika is now working as a Learning Specialist in a girls school. They have two children: Yohan who is 7 and Neil who is 2.
Karun an Engineer is working with Siemens Healthcare in Bangalore, while wife Sneha is running her own business.

G ALEYAMMA and KE SIMON FAMILY

Although they did not live in Malaysia, two of their children lived in Malaysia. They are:

Kunjamma and MA Mathew

They lived in Banting and had 3 children: Abraham (Abby), Susheela and Valsa

Dr Abraham and wife Prabha lived and worked in Johor. It is with sadness to report that Abby passed away last year. Prabha continues to live in JB. They have two children:

Dr Divya who after working in Penang moved to Melbourne and narried Ajay Kanth. They have a child Aryav Jaden.
Dr Abishek who is a Psychiatrist is married to Kim Lian Rolles and they live in Singapore. They have three children: Aria, Heidi and Katie.

Thomas Simon, who had worked in various Estates in Malaysia passed away over 10 years ago. His wife Molly, a retired teacher, lives in Klang .Their children are:

Suresh and wife Sheena are based in the USA but are currently living in Singapore. They have 3 children: Noah is a Satellite Operations Engineer With AST in Washington DC. Talya works as a Consultant for EY in New York, and Eli graduated this Spring and is a Data Engineer With Third Wave Automation ( a startup) in Boston.
Shereen and husband Ruvi Wijesuria live and work in Phoenix, USA. Shereen is a Preschool Speech Language Pathologist while Ruvi is the Director of Learning Technologies at Arizona State University. They have 2 children: Rekha Anne is finishing College in 2025 and Aasha Grace is a Freshman in High School.
Capt George Thomas (Shaun) is in Abu Dhabi flying with Etihad; He has 2 children Shaun David is in College and Julian is 6 yrs old and is in Kindergarten.

ANNA and MT VERGHESE FAMILY

The family have been living in Kozhencherry but 2 of their children / grandchildren live in this part of the world:

Lizzie the 2nd daughter and husband CT Mathew lived in Banting & Klang area. CT Mathew passed away a few years ago and Lizzypengal lives in Klang. They have 2 children:

Thomas Cherukara (Mohan) moved to Scotland and retired there; his wife Diana is working as a Financial Analyst for the National Theatre Scotland, They have two children: Mathew has a PHD in Medical Engineering and is a Research Fellow for brain cancer in University College London; Esther finished her medical studies and is working as a doctor at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow in Scotland.
Dr Tina and husband Ramesh Menon live in KL. Tina has retired and visits her mother regularly in Klang.

Thomas Verghese (Joe) Grandson and wife Elizabeth live in Auckland with their daughter Sasha. Joe makes frequent trips to Kozhencherry to visit his mother.

MARY and PG THOMAS FAMILY

The sad event that happened was the passing away of Mary Aunty on 26th March 2014. She was the oldest member of the Vadaketh Kudumbam in this region at the time. Her memory and legacy will live on. They had 4 boys and a girl:

Dr George Thomas and Dr Doony. They have two daughters:

Dr Tara George is a Eye Specialist at Sunway Medical Centre while her husband Ir George Zachariah works with Petron Malaysia, an Oil Company. They have 2 daughters: Nithya who is a Manager, Climate Change and Sustainability at EY, and is married Isaac an Automobile Engineer; they have moved to Melbourne and are working there. Their other daughter Shweta has finished her degree in Brisbane.

Deepa George who is married to Thomas Verghese (Shibu), works as a HR Consultant (own business). Shibu is a Real Estate Agent.

Moni Easaw Thomas

After Sunny’s death, Moni has been living a retired life in KL. She is active in church and outreach Sunday school and prayer programmes. Her children are :

Dr Maria (Shema) and husband Dr Steve Baxter live and work in England. They have two children: Sophie and Luke who are in school there.

Thomas Easaw (Prashanth) is married to Vyonna Andrews. Prashanth is based in Sabah where his wife has a teaching job.

Dato Dr. Jacob (Roy) Thomas, after a long stint with SJMC and Sime Darby Hospitals has retired and lives in Ara Damansara with his wife Datin Dr. Indira Jacob, a retired Ophthalmologist from University Hospital KL. They have two children:

Sanjay Thomas who married Divya Chandy in May 2017. Sanjay is the Editorial Director at GO Communications, a PR Consultancy in Bandar Utama, PJ. Divya is Coach, EO training facilitator & Instructional Designer with Taylor’s Hearts & Minds and People Potential. They live and work in Petaling Jaya.

Daughter Tameena and husband Kamal live in Canberra. Tameena is the Director of Communications and Media at the Department of Finance. Kamal is the Management Accountant at the office of the Gene Technology Regulator, a portfolio agency for the Dept. of Health. They have a son Kabir, who is 8 years old and in Year 2.

Dr PT Thomas (Prasad) is working as the Executive Dean, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Taylor’s University. His wife Rachel Thomas (Rani) is a homemaker and volunteer English teacher and children’s ministry in church. Their children are:

Suthen Thomas, Chief Technology Officer at Grab Singapore

Raynu, who has a Masters Degree in Pharmacy, got married to Bevan Kay.They live and work in Geelong, Australia.

Karuna, the youngest daughter, after her degree in Psychology , is now pursuing her PHD in Clinical Psychology at Washington University in St. Louis, USA.

Karuna, Mary Aunty’s youngest andonly daughter passed away when 6 years old in KL. She was a loving and caring young girl. A big loss to the family.

K. Dr SOSHAMMA & Dr CG SAMUEL FAMILY (in Malaysia and New Zealand)

Dr Leela and husband Dr James Chacko continue to live and work in Penang. They have 2 children:

Dr Roshini has moved from Penang and is now working in Management at the University of Malaya.

Dr Samuel George and wife Dr Priyanka have now moved to Birmingham, where Sam works as Consultant Plastic, Hand and Nerve Surgeon, as well as Educational lead and Director of the Birmingham Hand Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. Dr Priyanka is Registrar in Genitourinary Medicine And HIV, University Hospital Birmingham. They have 2 children: Jonah Palliath who is 8 yrs old and daughter Zara-Rebecca who is 2.

Dr. Anjula and Husband Dr Praveen are Dentist Surgeons who continue to live and work in Raglan, N.Island, New Zealand. Anjula is the daughter of Chandra, sister of Dr Leela. They have two sons, Isaac and David who are schooling there.

VA MATHEW FAMILY

George Mathew, the eldest son of Uncle who was a teacher in Kota Kinabalu in Sabah and wife Saramma, passed on since the last Newsletter. Their children were born and grew up in Sabah and have done very well in life. They are:

Mathew George, Hotelier (Retired) now Legal Executive, Wife Lornalynn, Industrial Engineer (Retired). They live in Kota Kinabalu. Their children are:

Dr. Mark Mathew, Dental Surgeon, Wife Rona Mathew, Artist. Children are: Arthur and Henry.

Moses Mathew, Lawyer, wife Adeline Ng Mei Hua, Lawyer

Mathew V. George, Civil Engineer, wife Rachel Tan Fern Fern, Mechanical Engineer. Daughter: Ruelle Xyra Tan Mathew.

Thomas and wife Janet live in KK, he worked as a Technical Operator now retired. Their children are:

Timothy Thomas and wife Lorna Miseh. Timothy is a Quantity Surveyor and Lorna is a System Analyst. They have 3 children: Maia, Noah and Oneal.

Terence Thomas – Deceased

Tricia Thomas is a Asst. Corporate Services Manager and husband Effendy Mahany is a Product Manager. They have 2 children: Ezra and Ezry.

Theodora Thomas is a Civil Engineer

Thomas George Jr. is an Administrative Officer.

Peter George Mathew, retired Electrical Engineer and wife Florence Muyou, a Homemaker. Their children are:

Abbegail Peter – Customer Associate Product Mgr,

Peter Jr – Senior Manager

Annabelle Peter – Physiotherapist

Christobel Peter – Geologist

Noel Peter – student
Dr. Mariam George is a Consultant Sports Physician in KK. After having retired from Govt. service as the Sports Medicine Director of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital there.
Dentist Linda George is a retired dentist living in Selangor. Her Husband Kenneth Andrew Pereira is a Contracts Manager at Nabors Drilling International. Their children are : Gloria Pereira, a Chemical Engineer in Melbourne, and Jennifer Pereira who is studying Medical Bioscience in Monash University in Subang.

Assoc. Prof. Dr George Mathew is a Consultant Family & Sexual Physician. His wife is Dr Sandhya Rajaintharan, a Dermatolpathologist Consultant. Their child is Jonathan George Mathew who is in Form 3. .

Emily Koshy is a retired DSP Police Officer & DPP and her late husband Mr K V Koshy a retired teacher. Their children are :

Mariam was a Senior officer in Bank Negara and lived a retired life with her husband Dr George Varughese in Subang. It was a big shock to the family when she passed away recently. Their children: Esther who has a Degree in Pharmacy lives with her father in Subang and Dr Anna who worked as a very popular doctor passed away last year in Melbourne where she was working.

Roy is a banker working in Myanmar. His wife Lily lives in their family home in PJ. Congratulations to their two sons who passed their MBBS and are now working in England . Dr Daniel works in the Royal London Hospital in the Orthopaedic Dept. while his Dr. David works in the Derriford Hospital in Plymouth in the Ortho Dept. too.

Reggie has passed his PHD and is working as Co-Director of Cubematch an International IT Consulting Firm in Glasgow. Their children: George is in College doing Personal Training & daughter Malayka is in her final year.

VA GEORGE FAMILY

George Abraham, Rt Mejar & teacher and wife Moni continue to live in Singapore. Sunny leads an active life in church, Singapore Cricket Club – Lawn Bowling. Their Children are:

Elizabeth Shoba Steffen lives near Zurich in Switzerland, where she works as a Restaurant Manager. Her children are: Philip Vijay Steffen a Restaurant Chef and Christoper Sharun Steffen is in Automation Engineering in the final years of his studies.
Sashi Abraham an Accounts Executive, wife Christina (Cucum), Retail business and children: Aaron is in Sec. 4 and Anne Marie in Primary 4.
Mary Charbonneau (Shalini) and husband Grg Carbonneau live in Victoria, Vancouver. Shalini is an Early Childhood Educator & operates in an In home Multiage Program. Her husband is in Automobiles. Their children: Logan will begin 1st year in Science and Daughter Gia is in Grade 11 of her High School.

Leslie passed away.

Rajan and wife Janet live in Singapore.

Dr. VA THOMAS FAMILY

VA Thomas Uncle arrived in Malaya as a young man and rose to high position in the Telecoms Dept as well as an Educationist. He helped get land for the Mar Thoma Church and was an ardent member until he passed away. He also wrote two books and was a pioneer in this area. He will always be remembered for all that he had done for the family, church and community. He and wife Ruth a teacher had 5 sons:

Capt. Roland Thomas (Ronnie) worked as a Pilot with MSA and MAS and retired as Vice President of Jet Airways in India. He and wife Mariam live in Petaling Jaya. They have 3 sons and a daughter:

Dr Sean Thomas, who is a GP and wife Suvita Rajamohan live in Perth. They have 3 children: Saskia, Seth and Sophia.

Capt Andre Thomas did Law before joining SIA, He and wife Karen Loong lived in Sydney before Andy tragically died of a heart attack on 22nd March 2022. They have one child : Cahaya.

Dr Gene Thomas and wife live in St. Johns, Ontario, Canada. They have 2 children: Brogen and Aiden
Lianna Thomas and late husband Clarence Abrahams live in Seremban. They have 3 children: Leah Clarissa, Joshua and Ruth.

Ir Hilary Thomas and the late Bessie Thomas have 3 children. Hilary lives alone after the death of Bessie in Bangsar. Their children are:

Dr Tricia Ruth Thomas and husband Dr Ragu live and work in the Klang Valley.

Dr. Troy Thomas and wife Kerrie live and work in Selangor. They have 2 children, Hayden and Hanna.

Dr Triston Thomas and wife Pik Lee live and work in Selangor. They have two children, Cameron and Caelyn.

Terry Thomas and wife Jaya live in Damansara, KL. Both are retired and live alone. Their children are:

Lestor Thomas is an Engineer and now lives in England with wife Rachel . They have 3 children: Lucas, Emira and Ariel.

Lynette Liz Thomas works as a secretary in a company. She has one child, Rebecca.

Dr Francis Thomas passed away in September 2014 and is survived by his children: Nicole, Rodney, Julian, Fabian and Cassandra. They live and work in Petaling Jaya.

Dr Ivan Thomas and wife Sheila live a retired life in Petaling Jaya. Ivan used to run a Home for psychiatric patients. Sheila helps out at the Home. They have two children:

Sheena who lives in Wellington, NZ with husband Mark, is the GM of GNS a Govt. body while her husband Mark is lawyer with the Government. They have two children: Mikaela who is 10 and Sawyer who is 7 .
Dr Robbin is a doctor who runs a clinic in KL . His wife is Brenda and they have a son Gabriel .

VV CHACKO FAMILY (in Malaysia & Australia

VV Chacko who is from the Otangal Vadakethu family was an early migrant to Malaya and taught in Muar before returning to India. Three of his children lived in Malaya. They were:

VC George and wife Sosamma who lived in Lambourne Estate near Kuala Selangor. After retirement he returned to Kurianoor. They had three children who grew up and studied in Klang. They are:

Ravi the eldest, who lived in the family house in Kurianoor, passed away there leaving behind wife and daughter .

Soman (Cherian) worked as the Administrator of the Sultans School in Muscat and is now settled in Ernakulam with wife, Cicely.

Daughter Asha retired as Principal of a school in Ernakulam, where she lives with her husband Willie. They have a son Ashwin, who is working there now.

Kunjamma and husband MC George, lived in Brooklands Estate in Banting Their 4 children studied in Klang.

Jacob George and wife Anita lived in Brisbane where Jacob had an Accountancy Firm. Anita passed away a few years ago and Jacob now lives in a Retirement Home in Brisbane. His 2 daughters live in Melbourne.

Dr Georgie George and wife Susan now live a retired life in Bedford, England. They have 3 children:

Vinesh and wife Neetha are both lawyers practicing in Sydney. They have 3 children, Rohan 16, Kiran 14 and Jacob 11, they are all schooling in Sydney. Suresh the 2nd son lives and works in Toronto with his wife Libby . They have 3 children: Isla 9, Ethan, 6 and Chloe 4. Daughter Dr Natasha now lives and works in Sydney

C Mary (Mercy) Alexander is married to Dr Alex Mathew who is a Surgeon .They live and work in Bedford, Indiana and have 2 children: Tina is married to Craig and they live in Ohio. They both work in JP Morgan Chase. Satish is married to Abbie and lives in Bedford, Indiana. Satish works in a German American Bank, while Abbie worked as a teacher and also in Child Health Services. They have 2 children: Arya 2, and Lennox who is 1 ½ years old.

Tommy and wife Gita live and work in Brisbane. Tom has bought over and runs his elder brother’s Accounting Firm there. They have 3 children: Ann, Susan and Rebecca.

Rahel and husband CT George used to live in Kelantan where CT George worked as a Hospital Assistant. Later they moved to Sg Buloh and finally after he retired they moved to Trivandrum. Their daughter Alice married Georgekutty who worked in the Hospital there in the Rehab. Unit. They have all passed away.

OM CHACKO FAMILY

One of the pioneers in the family, Pappychyan came prewar and after working in Johor moved to Butterworth and Taiping with wife Aleyamma They have three children:

Molly who lived and worked in Ipoh . She has 2 daughters:

Sharon who is married to Vinayen and lives in Melbourne (details under VE Mathew family)

Sheila who lives and works in Ipoh . She has 2 children: Nathannael Balasingam who is a junior sous chef at a restaurant in Christchurch; and Natalie, the Head Veterinary nurse at Shirley’s Vets in Christchurch too.

Dolly, after her husband Maniam’s death she has been living with her 2 children:

Shantan and wife Sudashini live in Seremban. They have two children, Neerashini Ezra and Mithra.

Sheralyn.

Jolly and husband Dr Peter Woods have been living and working in England for many years .

Ammukutty and Thomas Verghese (Ponnachen) lived in Petaling Jaya. Ammukutty is one of the daughters of VA Zachariah of Vadaketh Kurianoor. Ammukutty passed away in July 2023 . They have 5 children:

Vijayen used to be with MAS in Dubai after retiring and has moved to Kochi.

Jessy (Sosamma Varghese), who married John Vergis, sadly passed away on 30-7-2016. They have three children: Priya ( Anna Maria Verghis works in HR Dept. She has a daughter Sophia who is in Form 5.

Praveen (John Mathew Verghis) works in IT

Premila (Rachel Maryanne Verghis) works in the Legal profession.

Dr Ronnie and wife Alice (Sarali) live in Petaling Jaya. Ronnie is still practicing while Alice is retired. They have two children: Andrew Anand is a chemical Engineer working in Melbourne. His wife Andrea is a homemaker and they have 2 sons, Dante and Hans. Dr Amanda Anuja is a Nephrologist in Sydney

Verghese Zachariah (Shaji) and wife Susan Thomas (Gina) live in Rawang . Shaji worked in the Bank but passed away untimely last year. Wife Gina continues to teach in Rawang, while their 2 daughters: Sarah is a Electrical Engineer and works at Key sight Technologies as a Product Engineer in Penang; Sharon has a HR Degree and works at Kerry in Petaling Jaya as an Employee Lifecycle Specialist.

Annie Sheila and husband Thomas (Meby) live in Petaling Jaya. Sheila is an Advocate & Solicitor practicing In KL, and is active in the Mar Thoma church KL. She is the present Secretary. Meby is a Power Plant Mechanical Engineer, working in GE, KL.They have 3 children: Dr Anish is a doctor working in GH ,KL. Anith is studying Accounting & Finance in Sunway University; Ankesh is studying Dentistry at Manipal University in Malaysia.

OTHERS

The VT Chacko family used to live in Auckland. He is the grandson of VT Chacko Appachen of Kurianoor and brother of VT Kurien and VT Mathai Appachen.

Alex lives in Dunedin and comes from the Odololil branch of the Vadaketh family in Kurianoor. His wife is a Nurse.They run a Restaurant and he is an active badminton player and is also active in the Malayalee Association there.

RECENT FAMILY MEMBERS – AUSTRALIA

Two Vadaketh family members have recently moved to Melbourne – we welcome them to our Vadaketh Family Group. They are grandchildren to the VA Mathew, VA George and VA Thomas family. Their grandmother is a sister of the VA brothers, Annamma Thomas & Soshamma.

Dr Viju Abraham and wife Dr Deepa Mary have come recently from the Middle East They have two children: Eva and Edan Joseph.

Joselin Varkey Jacob and wife Dr Neetu Abey George. Joselin is an IT Engineer and Neetu a Doctor. They have a daughter, Elyann, who is in Grade 7.

CONCLUSION

I wish to take this opportunity to praise and thank Almighty God for blessing us as individuals, family and the Vadaketh Family in general. I am deeply grateful for a number of family members who helped me prepare this 2024 Vadaketh Family Newsletter. It has not been an easy task to gather the necessary information as the family has grown bigger in the last ten years and many of our members in this part of the world have passed away. We thank God for their lives, service and participation in family get-togethers. May their memory and legacy live on.

There are bound to be many errors and omissions made, I most sincerely apologise for them. I hope and pray that you will find this Newsletter useful and informative.

As we are coming to the end of the year I wish to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy and Blessed Christmas and a Bright and Happy New Year too.

VV George/Joe

November 2024

NOTE FROM ADMIN: If there are errors/ommissions, do leave a comment or family update in the comment box below!