KURIAKOSE, T.X.

Loving and respected physician at Somerville Hospital

Of Jamaica Plain, on March 16, 2021, passed peacefully at home after a long illness. Beloved husband of 50 years of Susan (Johnston) Kuriakose. Devoted father of Anne (Washington, D.C.), Maggie (Sharon, MA), and Jason and his wife Minaz (Quincy, MA). Adored grandfather of Simone and Jordan. A tireless, skilled, and upright surgeon, person of character, and faith-filled member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, he provided the utmost in devoted care and guidance to his family, patients, community, students, and friends.

Born in Pothanicad, Kerala, India in 1932, the youngest of six children of Anne and Xavier Thazhathekudyil, T.X. (Jose) completed his medical degree in 1962 from Bangalore Medical College of the University of Mysore. In 1963, he immigrated to Montreal, Canada to undertake his surgical residency at McGill University at Montreal General Hospital, followed by a cardiovascular fellowship at Lady Davis Institute at Jewish General Hospital in Montreal. In 1971, he accepted a Tufts Medical School faculty appointment and moved to Boston with his new bride Susan, of Ottawa, Canada, to work with Dr. Michael Hume as a vascular and general surgeon at the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital and the New England Baptist Hospital. In 1985, he joined the medical staff of Somerville Hospital, where he was later appointed Chief of Surgery, faithfully ministering to his patients until his retirement after 46 years of medical practice, in 2008. He was a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (Canada), a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a member of the Society of Vascular Surgery.

Dr. Kuriakose treasured time with his family, especially seaside at their summer home on Buzzards Bay, named 'Katal Nivas', or 'house by the sea', in his native Malayalam language. He worked long hours on renovations, artfully painting the home inside and out, and cultivating beautiful gardens with outdoor sculptures from Zimbabwe, and a thriving koi fishpond 40 years strong. Travels abroad always included stops at botanical gardens to marvel at the flora. Family trips back to India were treasured and interspersed with calls and later emails to his growing extended family of nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews, and dear friends from medical school days. In retirement, he took up new pursuits, including painting and photo-editing, as he captured moments dear to him with his growing grandchildren, time with old friends and relatives, a sunset over the water at the Cape, or a hardy new bloom.

His family is grateful and appreciative to his many friends, relatives, colleagues, and neighbors for love and support over the years, and especially thankful to devoted caregivers in Boston during his periods of illness. The family also thanks Hospice of the Good Shepherd for their expert home-based support.

Visiting hours at the Robert J. Lawler and Crosby Funeral Home, 1803 Centre St. West Roxbury, on Friday, March 19, 2021 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Mass of Christian burial will be held the following morning at 10 AM on Saturday, March 20, 2021 at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Jamaica Plain. His interment will follow at St. Joseph's Cemetery in West Roxbury. Gifts in his memory can be sent to St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 97 South Street, Jamaica Plain 02130 or Pine Street Inn, 444 Harrison Avenue, Boston 02118.

Dr. Kuriakose's funeral Mass will be live Streamed. Go to the Lawler & Crosby Funeral Home website, click on obituary, scrool to bottom of the page,. The Live Stream will begin at 10:00 am.