Sunita S. Tivade

It is with great love and profound loss that we announce the passing of Sunita Solomon Tivade, who died peacefully in her home in the early morning hours of Thursday, November 6, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. Her final days were filled with peace, grace, beauty, prayer, and hymn-the same qualities that defined her life.
Born Sushila Jivanrao Bhintade to Jivanrao and Shevantibai in Sangli, India, she was raised to value good character, education, devotion, and service, and was deeply informed by the church and her Christian faith.
From a young age, Sunita showed an aptitude for caregiving and leadership. She completed her nursing and midwifery training at B.Y.L. Nair Hospital in Bombay, earning her credentials through the Maharashtra Nursing Council. She began her career as a Midwife traveling from village to village delivering babies. She went on to work as a Nurse at the Kasbekar–Metgud Clinic in Belgaum, where she served in obstetrics, gynecology, medicine, and surgery, and where she was described as sincere, skilled, compassionate, with exceptional moral character and dedication to her patients. After immigrating, she completed additional coursework in psychiatric nursing and became a Registered Nurse with the New Jersey State Board of Nursing in 1978.
Sunita married Solomon Tivade on May 20, 1963, at Gracebai Memorial Church in Islampur, beginning a lifelong partnership rooted in faith, discipline, and integrity. Shortly thereafter, Sunita and Solomon welcomed their two beloved children, Joseph and Margaret, and built their early life together in Belgaum, India.
In 1974, Sunita and Solomon immigrated to the United States, where they lived on the campus of Drew University in Madison before finally settling in Chatham, NJ. They built a new life while raising their young children and establishing Sunita's nursing career. Sunita joined Pine Acres Nursing Home in Madison in 1977 -beginning a career that would span more than three decades, during which she rose from Staff Nurse to Charge Nurse and ultimately Director of Nursing.
Sunita loved nothing more than caring for others. Her faith and devotion infused everything she did-whether supporting her husband in his ministry, raising her children, tending to her patients, caring for her grandchildren, or serving the church. Her home was always full of guests, family, and friends, and her table was never without food-from samosas, chapatis, and chicken curry to puran poli, cheesecake, carrot cake and donuts.
On special Saturday afternoons, she would gather her children and grandchildren for puran poli served with warm, sweet milk. She would stand at the stove, lovingly serving each piece one by one, urging, "Eat it hot!" as she tended to every plate. Sunita had a sweet, melodious voice and often sang Marathi hymns as she worked around the house. She adored Lata Mangeshkar's music and passed her love of Bollywood classics and hymns to her children and grandchildren, who will forever carry her voice in their hearts.
A woman of deep discipline and prayer, Sunita read the Bible from cover to cover and would turn to Scripture for solace and guidance so often that her bible remains lovingly worn. She cared deeply about her extended family and friends, staying connected to loved ones in both India and America. She had a remarkable gift for keeping the family woven together-aware of every milestone, joy, and need.
Sunita was a devoted wife, a loving mother, a supportive mother-in-law, and an ever-present grandmother. She filled her home with warmth, prayer, security, and nourishment-a steadfast force at the center of her family's life. She was the hub, the glue, and the heart of the Tivade family, and her legacy of love will continue through those she nurtured.
She was predeceased by her parents, her siblings Kanchanmala, Sudanand, and Vivekanand, her beloved husband Solomon who was her lifelong best friend and who passed in 2018. She is survived by her adored son Joseph and his wife Anna, and by her cherished grandchildren Militsu, Joseph, Aarun, Matthew, Joshua, and Abigail, all of Chatham, New Jersey; and by her immensely loved daughter Margaret and her husband Eddy, of Whiting, New Jersey.
The family invites friends and loved ones to gather and honor the life of Sunita Tivade on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at the Wm. A. Bradley & Son Funeral Home in Chatham, New Jersey. A visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., followed by a Methodist service from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Burial will take place immediately afterward at The Fair Mount Cemetery in Chatham. A repass and continued celebration of Sunita's life-with food, song, and prayer-will follow at the Tivade home.