Now - it is the third departure from the Heartian Faculty Fraternity this academic year. Prof. Chakkunny. Must be Jacob! Pynadath from Karukutty.
The heartian community looked up to him as an elder, as a father figure!
From 1956 to 1986 - three decades. Before that a stint as lab instructor. After his B. Sc from Trichy, he had gone to Ernakulam, to seek the result. No mobile - no phone... It was getting dark and everyone began to be worried. Mother and sisters began to pray... Had he failed and decided to 'run away'? Committing suicide was not all that fashionable those days! As the prayers began to rise, he appeared back... at night... all proud and happy... that he had got employed as instructor at S.H. After a year, it was Nainital that made him a Master of Physics! Then back again to Thevara and S.H. for good!
He had become part of Thevara... Like Father Abraham who had left Ur and come to Palestine and had become a 'Father of Blessings'... this was his new Palestine. Where he flourished together with the institution and became a blessing to many.
Dr. Georgekutty reminisces a conversation when he found him for the morning mass at the Chapel - 'Yes, man! (Adedo) I come here everyday. Not alone, but with my family. Isn't this that we can give to our children - faith in God?'.
He was serious as a teacher, enterprising as an educationalist - his text book had been a popular resource for students, strict from a discipline point of view, friendly as a mentor to students and his colleagues.
A man of contented mind - happy with what he had... happy to be daily in the Lord's presence. he went about doing good, like his master, being an active member of Vincent De Paul society.
Ever desirous to be self reliant, he walked his way of one kilometer and a half almost daily till about last year... Even past 80, he enjoyed driving and had not left that skill to lay rusted.
Conscious and critical to the end, he realised the limits of individuals and laid his trust in God beyond the human limitations. Two generations from Prof. Chakkunny's family have enriched SH after him. They, in turn, have inherited his qualities of committment and involvement.
In the last seven years, not once did I hear a word of dissatisfaction or complaint from him - he had accepted the fact of our passage not as a grim reality, but as a matter-of-course, with serenity. That was why he was glad to receive the annointment of the sick, perhaps, twice, and apparently had derived physical and spiritual benefit from the same as a believer!
On Feb. 28th, he left us to his eternal abode, assured of his destination. The peace and serenity on his face showed his confidence and the assurance of having reached his destination - truly a statement of the age-old phrase 'slept in the Lord'.
We are proud of you, Sir! We are also proud to have been associated with you! The heartians bow before your memory! May we be part-takers of the peace that you enjoy!
Our heartfelt congrats to Jogi, Jude, Jigi and Jenny (all of them our alumni) for having had such a great father, and to Aunt Lilly for having had such a great husband!
A place where adults can stay,
