Dr. Karen S. Devassy

Dr. Karen S. Devassy, 77, of South Windsor formerly of East Windsor, beloved wife of the late Thattil Joseph Devassy passed away peacefully on Aug. 5, 2020, at Manchester Memorial Hospital. She was born on September 13, 1942, in Albuquerque, New Mexico; daughter of the late Lawrence Nye Stevens and Stephanie (Kinsley). Karen is survived by three children, Joshy Devassy of Torrington, Mariamma Devassy-Schwob and her husband Tom of South Windsor, and Rajan Devassy of South Windsor; two grandsons, Jacob and Zachary Schwob; a brother, Lawrence Nye Stevens, II and a sister, Judith Stevens. She was predeceased by a brother, Eric Stevens.

I, Karen Stevens Devassy, MD, have written the story of my life and family.

My parents divorced when I was approximately two years old and my brother, Nye, four years old. A year later, my brother and I were placed in a Virginia boarding school when my mother needed emotional sustenance. Later, Nye and I lived happily for some time with my father, his wife and their two small children, Judith and Eric. When my mother improved, she chose to drive Nye and me to Southern California for our new life.

The small town of Yucaipa offered a lovely view of the gorgeous San Gorgonio Mountain. My mother wisely bought a few farm animals, especially my horse, which gave me joy and nurturing. At age 13, I chose to convert to Catholicism and have always found this to be my spiritual home and comfort. Independently, I flew to Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts and earned a BA in zoology. As a sophomore, I hoped to become a medical missionary doctor.

While taking a summer school physics course at Georgetown University, I met my lab instructor, Thattil (Davis) Joseph Devassy. He was a handsome, warm and intelligent young man from Kerala, India. During tutoring sessions, Davis and I fell deeply in love. Fortunately, Davis' Indian family was Catholic, kind-hearted, well-educated and accepting of our marrying choice.

In 1965, Davis accepted a professorship in physics at Central Connecticut State University. Davis and I first lived in South Hartford with our three-week-old baby, but by 1970, our entire family, including Joseph (Joshy), Mariamma and Rajan, all moved to our peaceful four-acre plot in East Windsor, overlooking the scenic Scantic River.

The happiest time of my life was with Davis during our 20 years of mutual family-making and parenting. I was a leader in La Leche League and enjoyed crafting wooden Montessori toys. We made three trips to India; I wore a sari and enjoyed Indian food (forever). On our second trip, we enjoyed attending the arranged marriage of the youngest of five Thattil sons.

Davis and I found the best of America and the best of India.

In 1975, I traveled daily to New Haven to complete the two-year Yale Physician Associate Program. I went on to matriculate at UConn School of Medicine in Farmington and became an MD at age 40. My internship at Saint Francis Hospital was very rigorous; my husband continued his hard work as a professor and managed our home life. On one Christmas Eve during my internship I was on call and Davis, along with our three children, brought Indian food to the hospital cafeteria to make our Christmas Eve special.

In the last month of my internship, Davis became seriously ill. The diagnosis confirmed a glioblastoma multiforme brain tumor. He died 20 days later, the week of our 20th anniversary. This was the most difficult period of our family's life.

I was now the breadwinner for our family. After working extremely hard during my two years of internal medicine residency, I was then promoted to chief resident - a true honor. In 1987, I opened a private practice in South Windsor and later in East Windsor. I enjoyed being a "country doc," loved my patients, and relished the joy of medicine.

In 1995, I designed my woodsy house, with window walls, a 16-foot stone chimney with three-sided glass doors, and a full bluestone seat. Nightly I watched stars through my clerestory and woke up to enjoy my curved kitchen. I cherished the river, hills and valleys of our homestead for 45 years. I loved my gardening.

As a way to memorialize Davis' death, I wrote "A Doctor's Grief" for the Hartford Courant Northeast Magazine. Lary Bloom, editor of Northeast, published several more of my articles in the magazine and I continued to write op-ed pieces for the Courant.

In 1986, numerous friends from India and America founded "The Devassy Buffalo Project" (in honor of Thattil Devassy), in which 22 buffaloes were given to impoverished Indian families in need.

I established a program to provide weekly medical care at the Immaculate Conception Shelter for Homeless Men in Hartford, which endured for 10 years. Later, I planned spirituality programs for physicians at St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church in Hartford. In 1991, my son Rajan and I joined this remarkable church run by Franciscan Friars.

Living at The Residence at South Windsor Farms for five years was welcome. Tennyson, my beloved King Charles Spaniel, cuddled everyone.

Awards: Yale PA Program Awards; Mt. Holyoke College Mary Lyon Postgraduate Scholarships; a "Top Ten Winner of the Decade" Clairol Scholarship; the Capitol Area Consortium First Annual Community Service Award (for work with the homeless); the Director's Award for outstanding service at St. Francis Hospital; speaker for convocation to honor Professor Joseph M. Healey, Jr.; and Best Doctor's Awards.

Calling hours will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020 from 2-4 & 6-8 p.m. at Mariamma's house, 1425 Main St., South Windsor, CT. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Patrick St. Anthony Church, 285 Church St., Hartford, CT. For those who would like to view the service remotely please use the following link:

https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/8581802.

Burial will be held at the convenience of the family. After suffering with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome for 16 years, the family asks for memorial donations in Karen's memory to go to Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association (RSDSA), a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, RSDSA, Box 502, 99 Cherry St., Milford, CT 06460 or call 1.877.662.7737. Please visit

www.carmonfuneralhome.com

for online expressions of sympathy.