Shakuntala Dhanarajan

Shakuntala Dhanarajan went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, on February 14th, 2025. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 56 years, Gerald Dhanarajan. She is survived by her two daughters, Prima Relton (Sudhakar) and Christa Renu Kumar (Jay); her grandchildren, Christine (Eric), Carolyn (Nate), Celina (Mitch), and Christian (Lizzie); and her great-grandchildren, Olivia and Micah. She is also survived by her younger sister, who she loved dearly, Shantha Sellakumar (Arthur); and a host of much beloved nieces and nephews.

Hema Lily Shakuntala or Shaku, as she was affectionately called, was born on May 2, 1933 to Dr. Devadoss and Mrs. Samathanam in Madurai, South India. She was the 11th of 12 children and had 4 sisters and 7 brothers. Her nieces and nephews from her older siblings were closer in age than her own siblings, thereby offering a larger base of family to grow up and bond with. She grew up in a very close and loving family and the family bonds only grew stronger over the years.

Shaku was a perfectionist. A hostess par excellence, she showered her guests with love and an array of delicious, meticulously crafted dishes. She poured her heart and soul into everything she did - albeit her work or loving correspondence with family or friends. She was a faithful mailer of the devotional "Our Daily Bread" to her near and dear ones and only stopped when she knew they would read it online. She did her Bachelor of Arts in History and Education, worked as a travel agent, and as a librarian in Philadelphia. She learned Hindi (which was not her native language), because she loved Hindi music and was known for her beautiful voice.

Shaku and Gerry were very involved in their local Church and the Indian Christian Fellowship. As a believer in Jesus Christ, she served the body of Christ with much joy. She was unselfish in everything she did. She will be dearly missed by all those who loved her.

Funeral arrangements are handled by the J.T. Morriss & Son in Chester, VA.

Visitation will be held on Friday, February 21, 2025, at J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home - Chester Chapel from 6 pm - 8 pm. It will be a closed casket.

The funeral service will be conducted on Saturday, February 22, 2025, by Pastor Manuel Talaiver, at the funeral home at 10 am. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Park immediately after.

THE SERVICE WILL BE LIVESTREAMED ON THE J.T. MORRISS & SON WEBSITE - WWW.JTMORRISS.COM.

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, THE FAMILY REQUESTS DONATIONS BE MADE TO OUR DAILY BREAD MINISTRIES - ODBM.ORG.