Pothen Joseph

Pothen "Sunny" Joseph was born on October 22, 1950, in Puramattom, Kerala, India. He was the second of four children and the first son of KP and Kunjamma Joseph. He was also one of 82 first cousins. As a child, he attended St. John's High School in Eraviperoor before going on to Catholicate Day College in Pathanamthitta, where he studied zoology.

In 1971, Sunny came to the United States on a student visa, first arriving in Chicago. He later moved to West Virginia, where he studied at Marshall University, and eventually moved to Grand Rapids. While there, Thomas and Anna John told him about another Anna living in Baltimore who was hoping to get married. Sunny and his best friend, George Abraham, went to meet her. Sunny and Anna (whom he affectionately called Annie) agreed to marry and became husband and wife in 1975.

In 1980, they were blessed with their son Abraham, and in 1982 with their daughter Marie. In 1984, Sunny received his MBA from the University of Baltimore. He began his federal career at the FDA in 1993, where he served until retiring at the end of 2018. He adored his colleagues and stayed close with them over the years, with his last outing being a lunch with them.

Sunny was deeply devoted to Christ and the traditions of the Indian Orthodox church. During his college years in India, he lived near the headquarters of the diocese in Thumpamon, where he became close to the bishops and monks who resided there. Those years helped shape the faith and traditions he carried throughout his life.

In 1982, Sunny and Annie became one of the ten founding families of St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox Church of Greater Washington, following their dear Rev. Fr. MT Kurian as their spiritual leader. What began as ten families gathering in homes and community centers to worship has grown into a congregation of more than 80 families in 2026, now worshiping in a proper church-the place where Sunny's funeral services are being held.

Sunny and Annie raised their children in this church, and their legacy continues through their grandchildren. Just as Sunny faithfully served the church as an altar server, one of his proudest moments was watching his eldest grandson, Kyle, follow in his footsteps and serve at the very church Sunny helped found. Sunny was also a Godfather to five boys, including his grandson Kyle, his nephew Previn, and his cousin Gijo.

Sunny enjoyed both playing and watching sports. He instilled a love of the NFL, especially the Washington Football Team, in his children. Many college football and basketball games were watched in his home with family. He played volleyball, went fishing with friends, and enjoyed watching the World Cup with Paul.

His heart belonged to tennis. He played for hours, several days a week, for as long as he could, and never missed watching a Grand Slam.

In the early years in the area, local Malayali friends often gathered, and the men would play a card game called 56. Sunny was excellent at the game and continued playing with these friends for decades.

Sunny loved gardening and spent hours caring for the lawn, weeding, planting, and harvesting vegetables. He also enjoyed cooking and was always eager to try new recipes. Even after losing some mobility, he continued to cook with the help of those around him, earning the affectionate title of Executive Chef. He was adventurous with food and tried many unusual meats and delicacies-including alligator, snake, rabbit, ferret, and whatever else someone offered him. Although he was a great cook, his favorite dessert makers were his niece Preveena and his sister-in-law Rini. Sunny especially loved grilling and would grill in any weather. He loved grilling in a blizzard.

His proudest role in life was being Appachan to the many children and grandchildren who called him by that name. He loved wrestling with the kids, holding the babies, and making them laugh. He gave them baths, picked them up from school, and took pride in every smile he could bring to their faces. He loved receiving hugs from Alex, Nate, and Emma as soon as they walked through the door. One of his greatest joys was feeding his Booper Cheerios for breakfast every Saturday and playfully biting Lijo's "Obama ears."

Although his body leaves us, his legacy lives on forever. He leaves behind his wife of over 50 years, Anna; his sons Abe and Paul; and his daughter Marie (CPA). He is also survived by six grandchildren, Kyle, Alex, Nate, Nikash, Lijo, and Emma, along with his eldest sister Indira, his younger sister Leema, his younger brother George (Kunju), and many beloved relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Myositis Association.