Pothen Joseph

Pothen “Sunny” Joseph was born on October 22, 1950, in Puramattom, Kerala, India. The second of four children and the first son of KP and Kunjamma Joseph, he grew up surrounded by a large extended family that included 82 first cousins. He attended St. John’s High School in Eraviperoor and later studied zoology at Catholicate Day College in Pathanamthitta.

In 1971, Sunny came to the United States on a student visa, first settling in Chicago before moving to West Virginia to attend Marshall University and eventually settling in Grand Rapids. There, friends Thomas and Anna John introduced him to Anna in Baltimore. Sunny and his best friend George Abraham traveled to meet her, and he and Anna—whom he affectionately called Annie—married in 1975. They were blessed with their son Abraham in 1980 and their daughter Marie in 1982. Sunny earned his MBA from the University of Baltimore in 1984 and began a federal career at the FDA in 1993, serving until his retirement at the end of 2018. He remained close to his colleagues throughout the years.

Sunny was deeply devoted to Christ and the traditions of the Indian Orthodox Church. His college years spent near the diocesan headquarters in Thumpamon, where he formed close bonds with bishops and monks, shaped his lifelong faith. In 1982, he and Annie became one of the ten founding families of St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox Church of Greater Washington under the spiritual leadership of their dear Rev. Fr. MT Kurian. What began as small gatherings in homes and community centers grew into a thriving congregation of more than 80 families. Sunny served faithfully as an altar server, and one of his proudest moments was watching his eldest grandson Kyle follow in his footsteps at the very church he helped establish. He was also godfather to five boys, including Kyle, his nephew Previn, and his cousin Gijo.

Sunny loved sports, both playing and watching. He passed on his passion for the NFL, particularly the Washington Football Team, to his children and enjoyed college football and basketball games at home with family. He played volleyball, fished with friends, and followed the World Cup with Paul. His greatest sporting love was tennis, which he played several days a week for as long as he could and never missed watching during Grand Slams. He was also an avid gardener who tended his lawn and vegetable garden with care, an adventurous cook who tried many unusual meats and earned the fond nickname “Executive Chef,” and a dedicated griller who would cook outdoors in any weather, even blizzards. Above all, his proudest role was that of Appachan to the children and grandchildren who called him by that name. He delighted in wrestling with the little ones, holding the babies, giving baths, picking them up from school, and bringing smiles to their faces—especially through Saturday breakfasts with his Booper and playful nibbles at Lijo’s “Obama ears.”

Sunny is survived by his wife of more than 50 years, Anna; his children Abe and Paul, and his daughter Marie; his six grandchildren Kyle, Alex, Nate, Nikash, Lijo, and Emma; his eldest sister Indira, his younger sister Leema, his younger brother George (Kunju), and many beloved relatives and friends.