John Renji
May 20, 1959 – April 7, 2025
Our hearts are heavy as we share the loss of John Renji, a gentle soul and guiding presence, who passed away peacefully on April 7, 2025, at the age of 65. He was well-lived, well-read, and well-traveled.
John was born on May 20,1959, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. He was the fourth of six children of his late parents, P.A. John and Mariamma John, of the Cherukattuserril family. John grew up in Kerala when life moved slower, and children played soccer in the streets until dusk. He spent his days riding his bicycle through narrow lanes, running errands for the house, and playing with his friends in the neighborhood. His bond with his mother was so strong that the locals called his mother “Renji’s mom”
John arrived in Stockton, California, in 1981 on a student visa. He lived and worked at his aunt’s motel to put himself through college. It was never easy, but he enjoyed the challenge, driven by his passion for being independent and a deep desire to attain an advanced degree in the United States.
He earned a Master’s in Business Administration and worked for an American multinational company, General Mills, Inc., in Lodi, where he was respected for his intelligence, innovation, work ethic, and collaborative spirit.
John and Jaya married in 1990, embarking on a journey of love and partnership that spanned 34 years. Their enduring bond was marked by unconditional love, shared values, and unwavering support for one another through life’s joys and challenges. Jaya had lost her father young and longed for a husband to make her world feel safe and guided again. John provided her that. In her words, he was her life and world. John believed in empowering those around him; most notably, he encouraged and guided his wife to be independent and self-assured by furthering her education.
John believed deeply in the power of knowledge and empowerment. Beyond his home, he often extended his kindness to those who are new to the USA, offering practical help from driving lessons to guidance and comfort, much like a big brother would. Family and friends’ children looked forward to playing with him at community social gatherings. They gravitated toward him due to his childlike spirit and playfulness. For them, he was always one of them!
He loved country music and Yanni’s New Age tunes. Inspired by his father, a Kuwait Airways mechanic, he had a lifelong fascination with cars and planes. The values instilled from his Christian Pentecostal upbringing reflected in his personal and professional life. He was not a denomination-centric person but a general Bible-based believer. John’s faith was not just something he believed in and professed; instead, it was something he embodied. He personified Christlike selflessness in everything he did.
John is survived by his wife, Jaya, and his siblings, Leelamma, Andrews, Alex, and Jolly. He now joins his parents and his brother Roy in rest. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.
He never spoke of legacy. He simply lived one!
SERVICE
A service will be held from 9:00am - 200pm on Wednesday, April 16th, 2025 at the Vineyard Chapel at Cherokee Memorial Park, located at 14165 N. Beckman Rd, Lodi, CA 95240.
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Cherokee Memorial is honored to serve the Renji family.