Vishni Jessani

Vishni Jessani of West Orange, dearest mother, grandmother, sister, cousin, student, teacher, trailblazer, card player, and world traveler, passed away in her sleep at her home on the morning of September 9, 2024, at the age of 94.
Born Vishni Kundanmal in Hyderabad Sind in undivided India in 1929, she moved with her family to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) before partition. An outstanding student, she attended high school at St. Bridget's Convent, and then college at the University of Ceylon, receiving a BA degree in Philosophy in 1954. She was the only child of nine children to earn a college degree and fought hard with her parents for that right. Following her marriage to Vishno Jessani in 1956, she moved to London, England, and attended the University of London. Their three children, Anju, Naresh and Vinay were all born in London. After having children, she fought hard for the right to work and taught in various London primary schools.
In 1970, the family moved to Glen Ridge, New Jersey where Vishni began a long career in teaching with the Mount Carmel Guild. In 1979, Vishni and Vishno moved to Carlsbad, California and then to Fremont California. Vishni obtained California teaching credentials at Cal State, Hayward, and taught in local Oakland schools. When Vishno passed away in 1984, she moved back to Glen Ridge and resumed her teaching career at the Mount Carmel Guild, retiring in 1999 at age 70. After retirement, she moved to West Orange, and traveled extensively including to Russia, Africa, Europe, Australia and Asia.
Vishni started each morning by completing the Star Ledger crossword puzzle. She enjoyed a game of rummy, but only when the stakes involved money, and was an avid Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy fan. A staunch Democrat, she loved Barack Obama. She was active in the Sindhi community and was a founding member of the Sindhi Association of New Jersey (SANJ), serving on their board of directors for many years. She loved her independence and was at all times a pragmatist, adjusting to each new location and the changing times. She attended the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Montclair, and more recently, the Sadhu Vaswani Center in Closter and the Hindu Mandir in Livingston
In addition to her husband, Vishni was predeceased by her parents Jhamibai Kundanmal (nee Nanwani) and Dharamdas Kundanmal, her beloved sisters Ishi Mahbubani, Sushi Sakhrani, and Lucky Melwani, and her revered brother Muni Kundanmal.
She is survived by her children Anju Jessani and her husband Erik Purasson of Bloomsbury, Naresh Jessani and his partner Michael SanGiovanni of Manhattan, and Vinay Jessani and his wife Bobbi Tannenbaum Jessani of Manhattan, and grandchildren Lukas and Tara Purasson, and Sarita and Parris Jessani.
Vishni also leaves behind her brothers Wassia, Chella, and Doulat, all of Sri Lanka, and her cherished sister Sundri Chatani of Ghana. She is also survived by their surviving spouses, and her many cousins, nieces and nephews, and other relatives, from both the Kundanmal and Jessani sides of the family. Her family and Vishni also give special thanks to her caregiver of nine years, Malou Gomez.
An Indian Puja (worship ritual) and cremation service will be held at the Rosedale Cemetery, 408 Orange Road, Montclair, NJ 07042 on Wednesday, September 11 at 9:30 AM. It will be an informal service, and all are welcome to attend. A memorial service to Vishni will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Sadhu Waswani Center, 494 Durie Avenue, Closter, NJ 0762, or to a charity of your choice.