In sadness and the hope of the Resurrection, we inform you of the passing of Dr. Abraham Philips (Lalachen). Lalachen uncle (age 74) has been a pivotal and integral member of our parish since it’s inception. His passing is a great loss. May his memory be eternal.
Please keep Leilamma aunty, Vinu, Dennis, and the grieving family in your prayers.
Live stream Links:
https://www.youtube.com/c/shijopoulose/live
https://vimeo.com/event/2745811
Funeral Services:
Wake will be on Thursday, December 29th, 2022 between 4:30pm to 8:00pm at Saints Basilios-Gregorios Orthodox Church (9 Mercer Avenue, North Plainfield, NJ 07060)
Funeral will be on Friday, December 30th, 2022 between 9am to 11am at Saints Basilios-Gregorios Orthodox Church (9 Mercer Avenue, North Plainfield, NJ 07060).
Burial will follow 12pm at Resurrection Cemetery in Piscataway, NJ.
Obituary
On Tuesday, December 20, 2022, Abraham Phillips (Lalachen), loving husband and father of two, passed away at the age of 74.
He was born on November 17, 1948 in Thiruvalla, Kerala in India to Mr. P.A. Philip and Mrs. Rebecca Philip. He received his Masters degree in Statistics from the University of Kerala in India and was a First Rank Gold Medalist, after which he joined the Indian Space Research Organization as a Scientist. He subsequently attended the University of Windsor in Canada, where he received his Ph. D in Statistics. After finishing his doctorate studies, he worked as a statistician for 30 years, primarily at Prudential Insurance in Holmdel, NJ. He also completed a second Masters program in Information Science from the Stevens Institute of Technology. After retiring from corporate life, he started his second career as an adjunct professor at Rider University.
On July 2, 1972, he married Leilamma Vavolickal. Together, they raised two sons, Vinu and Dennis. Abraham attended church regularly with his family having served in various capacities over the years including acting as a principal for Sunday School. Abraham instilled in his sons a thirst for knowledge and a strong work ethic. He was a romantic at heart and showed utmost respect, care and affection for his wife Leilamma. Abraham was known for his compassion and kindness toward others and never expected anything in return. He loved teaching and talking to young people and felt great reward in seeing his “students” succeed.
Abraham was an avid traveler and would often take the lead in organizing sightseeing trips for his friends, having visited the Grand Canyon, Alaska, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bali, Greece, Dubai, Spain, Italy, France and Switzerland, among other places. He also enjoyed being outside in nature, whether tending to his yard with extensive landscaping plans or hiking through forests. He watched various sports, particularly baseball, and was initially a New York Yankees fan but switched allegiances to the New York Mets in 1986. His most recent favorite activity was spending time with his four beloved grandchildren, as he would bend over backwards to see them smile.
Abraham was preceded in death by his father, P.A. Philip, mother, Rebecca Philip and younger brother, George Philip. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Leilamma, sons Vinu and Dennis, daughter-in-law Siby Phillips, grandchildren Divya, Abigail, Dhilan and Madelyn, brother Jacob Philip, sister Lalitha Panicker and his nieces and nephews.
