1943
Vimala
2022
Vimala Caruna Sarma
February 18, 1943 — October 7, 2022
Vimala Caruna Sarma, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunt, passed away peacefully in her home on October 7, 2022, with her daughter by her side. She was deeply devoted to her husband of 47 years, Srinivasan V. Sarma, who she lost in 2018. She is survived by her daughter Lakshmi Sarma Ramani, son-in-law Deepak Ramani, granddaughters Meenakshi (16) and Kamala (12), and many nieces and nephews. Vimala kept very close to her large family and was deeply loved and cherished.
Vimala was an immensely intelligent and kind person, with a radiant smile and joyful energy, who was always ready to support and help her community in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where she lived for 40 years. She was highly respected and appreciated by a wide group of friends for her generosity and compassion.
Vimala was born on February 18, 1943 in Chennai (previously Madras) India, to a very prominent and distinguished family. She was raised with happiness and comfort with her 2 brothers and 3 sisters. Vimala grew up in Parktown Madras, went to the Good Shepherd Convent School, and later received a Bachelor of Science degree from Stella Maris College and a Bachelor of Education degree from Stella Matutina College in Madras. Unusual for the time in a newly independent India, her parents insisted that all of their children be highly educated and encouraged their daughters to pursue independence and careers before marriage.
Vimala came to the United States in 1969 to help care for her father who arrived in the 1960s to join her elder siblings in Washington, DC, after her eldest brother arrived in 1947. She joined American University in Washington, DC to pursue her graduate studies as a National Science Foundation scholar, which she later continued at the University of Maryland. She put her graduate studies on hold when she married Srinivasan in April 1971 in Washington, DC. Vimala and Srinivasan built their life and lovingly raised their daughter in the Harrisburg area, where Srinivasan had a successful career at AMP/Tyco then Foxconn Electronics. Vimala later returned to graduate school and received her Master's degree in Education from the Pennsylvania State University.
Vimala devoted her life to helping others, serving as Chief Social Welfare Officer and an Assistant Principal in Pondicherry, India, and later as special education teacher in the Harrisburg area and an Anatomy and Physiology professor at the Harrisburg Area Community College.
She was a founding member of the Harrisburg Area Tamil Sangam, was a very involved devotee of the H.A.R.I Temple where she started the Navarathri golu tradition, installed the Venkateswara kavacham and the Venkateswara utsava murthy idols. Vimala was a devout Hindu and was very knowledgeable about its various traditions and practices, which she passed down to her daughter and granddaughters, and broader community. She also volunteered with the local literacy council and association for the blind.
In their later years, Vimala and Srinivasan found much joy and happiness doting on their granddaughters. After Srinivasan's death in April 2018, Vimala moved to Bowie, Maryland where she lived with Lakshmi and her family and happily continued to dote on her granddaughters. She also enjoyed visiting the local temples and taking various classes at the senior center.
She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Vimala C. and Srinivasan V. Sarma Family Endowed Scholarship at the Harrisburg Area Community College or the Srinivasan V. and Vimala C. Sarma Family Endowed Scholarship at the University of Maryland.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Vimala Caruna Sarma, please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Funeral Service
Sunday, October 9, 2022
Starts at 11:00 am (Eastern time)
Beall Funeral Home
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