Mathai V. Varghese

Mr. Mathai V. Varghese, lovingly known as “Joy” or “Joychayan” in his native tongue, went into the presence of the Lord on 12/4/2020, at the age of 86. He was born to M.M. Varghese and Aleyamma Varghese in Kerala, India.   He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Annamma Varghese; his daughter, Susan, her husband, James, and children, Sarah and Joshua; his daughter, Shantha, her husband, Samuel, and children, Jonathan and Keziah; and his son Sunil, his wife, Katherine, and children, Elijah and Elisa. 

He grew up in Mathurampoikayail, Thuruthicadu, Kerala, along with his siblings: the late Mr. M.V. Mathai, the late Pastor M. V. Koshy, Mr. M.V. Eapen, Mrs. Aleyamma Varghese, Rev. M.V. Abraham and Mrs. Gracy Thomas.  In 1973, he immigrated to the United States, and lived in Newark, NJ for a short while before moving to NYC.  In NYC, he lived in Manhattan and Queens, and then moved to Bergenfield, NJ in 1979.  He worked as a registered nurse in different healthcare settings in New York and New Jersey, and finished his career at Bergen Regional Medical Center in Paramus NJ. 

He had a profound devotion to God, to family, to Bible study and prayer, and was one of the founders, as well as an active member, of the Bergenfield parish of the St. Thomas Evangelical Church.   Because of his deep love for the church and its members, he joyfully spent a good amount of his time with church-related matters.

After retirement, he moved to South Carolina with his wife and son, and traveled with his wife throughout the United States, visiting family and friends, especially in NJ.  He also had a love of gardening, and working outdoors.

He held many roles in his life: loving father, caring husband, and compassionate nurse. However, his primary identity was that of follower and lover of Jesus Christ. He loved God with all his heart and loved people, and this was displayed in his giving and generous nature.

The viewing will take place on Saturday, 12/12/20 from 11am–12pm, and will be open to friends and family, followed by a funeral service from 12pm-1pm. Both the viewing and funeral will be at the Boulevard Funeral Home in New Milford, NJ.  He will be buried at George Washington Cemetery in Paramus, NJ.

Due to COVID the funeral service will be family only, but it will be live-streamed at the following link: http://njstreaming.com/varghese

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St. Thomas Evangelical Church, 34 Delford Avenue, Bergenfield, NJ  07621