In Loving Memory of

Mary Agnes Thomas

Beloved Ammachi & our Family's Heart

January 12, 1938  ·  February 28, 2024

"I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die." John 11:25–26

Her Story

A Life Beautifully Lived

Born on a quiet January morning in 1938 in the lush hills of Kottayam, Kerala, Mary Agnes came into the world as the third child of Thomas Varghese and Annamma. From her earliest days, Mary was known for her radiant warmth and an unshakeable faith that guided her through every season of life — through joy, loss, harvest, and prayer.

At twenty-four, she married the love of her life, Jacob Thomas, in a sunlit ceremony at St. Mary's Church. Together they built a home filled with laughter, the scent of her famous rose garden, and the aroma of appam and fish curry on Sunday mornings. Jacob and Mary were inseparable for four decades until his passing in 2002. She carried his memory with extraordinary grace.

Mary raised five remarkable children while also being the quiet heart of her neighbourhood — the first to arrive with a pot of rice when a family was in need, the last to leave any celebration. Her legendary cooking, her rosary prayers whispered before dawn, and her Bible stories told to grandchildren under the mango tree are gifts this family will carry for generations. She passed peacefully on 28 February 2024, surrounded by those she loved most, stepping gently into the eternal light she had always believed in.

86
Years of Life
5
Children
12
Grandchildren
3
Great-grandchildren

Her Journey

Milestones of a Beautiful Life

1938
Born in Kottayam, Kerala
Mary Agnes arrived as the third child of the Varghese family, greeted by Kerala's January mist and her mother's prayers.
1955
Completed Schooling
Graduated from St. Teresa's Girls' School with distinction, known for her love of Malayalam poetry and elegant needlework.
1962
Marriage to Jacob Thomas
A beautiful church wedding united Mary with Jacob Thomas, beginning forty years of devoted, joyful partnership.
1963 – 1975
A Growing Family
Blessed with five children — Susan, George, Lini, Thomas, and Bina — she devoted herself to raising them with love and steadfast faith.
1978
Joined the Church Choir
Her warm soprano voice became a cherished part of St. Mary's Church choir, filling the nave for over two decades.
1985
First Grandchild — "Ammachi" is Born
The arrival of her first grandchild Riya gave Mary the name she would treasure above all others: Ammachi.
2002
Jacob Went Home to God
Her beloved Jacob passed away after a gentle illness. Mary carried his memory with grace and deepened her faith through quiet prayer.
2020
First Great-grandchild
She held baby Elsa in her arms and wept with joy — her legacy now stretched to a third generation.
February 28, 2024
Entered Eternal Rest
Surrounded by family, with a rosary in her hands, Mary peacefully closed her eyes and was reunited with her Jacob in heaven.

Remember Her

Light a Candle

Each flame is a prayer, a memory, a love that never fades.

Light a candle in her memory

In Their Words

Tributes & Memories

"

Ammachi's appam was the first thing I wanted every time I came home. But more than the food, I'll remember how she made everyone who sat at her table feel like the most important person in the world. She had a gift for love.

Susan George
Eldest daughter · Kottayam
"

She used to sit us under the mango tree and tell us stories from the Bible. I didn't realise until I grew up that she wasn't just telling stories — she was teaching us how to live. I hear her voice every time I face a hard day.

Riya Thomas
First granddaughter · Dubai
"

She sang in the choir for 22 years. Even when her knees were bad and the walk to church was long, she never missed a Sunday. Her faith was not a practice — it was the very air she breathed.

Fr. Thomas Mathew
Parish Priest · St. Mary's Church
"

Every December, she would knit a new woollen sweater for each grandchild. Twelve grandchildren. Twelve sweaters. Every year. I still have mine folded in the cupboard. I cannot bring myself to wear it anymore.

George Thomas
Second son · Bangalore
"

She was the kind of woman who could walk into a room full of grief and somehow make it feel like there was still hope. We lost the most peaceful presence in our family. The house will never smell the same without her rose garden.

Lini Varghese
Third daughter · Thrissur
"

I am only four years old but I remember her hands. They were soft and always warm. She called me "molu" and gave me biscuits from a tin that had roses on it. I will love her forever. — Elsa, dictated to her mother

Baby Elsa
First great-grandchild · Age 4

Share Your Memory