Obedia John Cheruvathoor

Obedia John Cheruvathoor was born on July 14 th in 1928. He was the eldest of four children born to Mr. & Mrs. Cheruvathoor P. John. He was followed by Gamaliel, another brother and the only sister, Betty.Tragedy had struck the family shortly after the birth of Betty as Obedia’s mother passed away from complications of childbirth. By the time he was 10 years-old his father was remarried. At the age of 12, Obedia decided he wanted to further his education and life experiences; therefore, he left home and never returned home. Despite of his leaving home, his thoughts and commitment to his siblings remained. He assisted all his siblings to achieve their educational goals. 

He completed his college education at Spicer Memorial College, where he also worked for two years until December 1959. Then he was transferred to Bombay, where Pastor William Moses’s wife Eleanor suggested that he meet a girl at Mrs. Sharalaya’s house in Salisbury Park, Pune. Consequently, he married Anna Moses, eldest daughter of Pastor and Mrs. B. S. Moses in Vijaywada on May 30, 1962. They were blessed with two children, Lesley and Bina Cheruvathoor. After the wedding, they stayed in Bombay for 2 years, then he transferred to Lasalgaon as an Accountant and teacher. They moved back to Bombay in 1966. 

While in Bombay he was accepted to Oakwood College in Alabama, USA. He left his wife and 6-month old son in the care of her parents who lived in Rajahmundry. In 1968 he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. After graduating from Oakwood College, his cousin, George Gabriel, invited him to Chicago where he found a job at DePaul University. After struggling for five years he earned enough money to invite his wife and son to join him in the States. 

Because of Anna’s previous scooter accident in India, she was accompanied by her sister, Carolyn, whom he sponsored. He also sponsored his wife’s brother, Leon Bathini, and also his brother-in-law, Pierson Tharapatla. 

In addition to working at DePaul University for 17 years, he also took a second job to provide for their two children with Seventh-day Adventist education. Although he was an accountant, he was good at working with his hands. He loved working with tools and fixing things. 

He was a faithful and dedicated member of West Central SDA church in Oak Park, IL for 40 years. He served as deacon and briefly helped teach the Juniors Sabbath School Class.

As he advanced in age, he developed Alzheimer’s disease. Soon after the death of his brother Gamaliel, he was admitted to a nursing facility where he received the proper care needed. He was content there for three years until his health digressed in February 2018. He stopped eating for seven weeks, but he still recognized his family. He was in and out of the hospital a few times. Finally, he was at peace when he fell asleep in the Lord on April 7, 2018 at 1:40am.

He is survived by his wife Anna, his children--Les and Bina; daughter-in-law, Beverly; and grandson, Nicholas Obedia, and a host of other family and friends.

The family will receive visitors at Southern Asian Seventh-day Adventist Church, 2001 2001 East Randolph Road, Silver Spring, MD 20904 on Thursday, April 12, 2018 from 10:30 am until 11:00 am. Funeral Service will begin at 11:00 am. Interment George Washington Cemetery.