Mathew Mukkattu of London, Ontario, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 27, 2022 at the age of 80. He spent his last months surrounded by what mattered to him most – his family. Mathew was a man of strength, grace and determination. He was born on December 18, 1941 in Kerala, India. He obtained his B.Sc. in Botany from The University of Kerala, then courageously left home to Kenya, Africa to become Chair of the Science Department at Mugoiri Girls School. In 1968, he immigrated to Canada, met his beautiful wife Mary and completed his post-graduate degree in Statistical Ecology and obtained a teacher’s certificate in Environmental Studies from the University of Western Ontario. He went on to become a Professor of Biology and Biotechnology at Fanshawe College for more than 36 years until his retirement in 2008.
Growing up, Mathew experienced firsthand what it meant to struggle. He knew what it felt like to go to bed hungry and to go without what we now consider basic necessities. Never forgetting where he came from, the concern for the poor was always a priority in his life. Mathew was a Project Manager with a London based charity for 26 years, heading the Canadian and International Developmental agencies. He traveled to India every year to ensure he brought happiness and hope to those beneficiaries, but the truth is, knowing he was making a difference in their lives brought even more joy to Mathew. His commitment to service led him to become the founder of his own charitable organization – Village Education and Development Society (V.E.D.S) – which will continue to fulfill its mission despite Mathew’s passing.
Mathew was charismatic, intelligent, generous, and an athlete. An accomplished tennis player, he was a two-time club singles tennis champion at Greenhills Country Club in 1979 and 1980. After retirement, he enjoyed socializing with his dear friends, playing Bridge, playing tennis and later in life perfecting his golf game. He also published 4 books and fulfilled his dream of traveling the world with Mary.
Mathew was a cherished husband, father, grandfather and brother. Even with all of his academic accolades, these precious roles were truly Mathew’s proudest accomplishments, especially the love he had for his grandchildren. He is survived by Mary, his wife of 52 years, three children and their spouses: Maisy (Andrew), Maxine (Alan) and Melissa (Anil), and his 9 adored grandchildren: Marietta, Mikhaila, Jacob, Maiya, Joshua, Caleb, Brooke, Matthew and Jonah. He is also survived by his two sisters: Baby and Cissy.
The family will honor the life of Mathew with a viewing on Thursday, September 1, 2022 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. and 7:00-9:00 p.m. at Westview Funeral Chapel, 709 Wonderland Road North, London, ON, N6H 4L1. The funeral service will be conducted at Holy Family Parish, 777 Valetta Street, London, ON, N6H 2Y9, on Friday, September 2, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. A live stream of the service will be available for you to view virtually.
To view the live streamed service, please click here: Live stream page for Mathew’s service on Friday, September 2, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that remembrances be made in the form of contributions to V.E.D.S. To donate please go to canadahelps.org and search for “Village Education and Development Society,” mail a cheque to the following address: 57-505 Blue Jay Drive, London, Ontario, N5X 4K7, or make an interacpayment to villageeds@rogers.com.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Mathew Mukkattu December 18 1941 August 27 2022..
Death notice for the town of: London, Province: Ontario