Anna Vargis

Vilja Vargis, also known as Baby, Anna, Vilca, Didi, Auntie, Mommy, and Amma, was born in Thrippunithura, Kerala, India, on April 15, 1949, the first “baby” of C.I. (Chunkath) and Vilasini (Pallipuram) Jacob. As a child, Vilja looked after her three younger siblings and learned science, math, Hindi, and French from nuns at schools across India. She loved long novels and Hindi film songs, and she could usually be found listening to music on Vividh Bharati, the government-run radio station.

After earning a BS in Chemistry from the University of Bombay, she married Varghese K. Baban (Koithodatu / Manaloor) in Bombay on May 10, 1971, and immigrated to Pasadena, CA, USA. There, Vilja earned another BS in Medical Technology from California State University, Los Angeles, and started her career as a microbiologist. She worked as a microbiologist for over 40 years, mainly at Northridge Hospital Medical Center, making many lifelong friends.

Vilja was a founding member of the Mar Thoma Church of Los Angeles, where she was active in many areas, including Sevika Sangham and Sunday School. She moved to West Hills (Canoga Park), CA, in 1977 and was blessed with her daughter Elizabeth in 1982. She resided in CA until earlier this year when she moved closer to her grandchildren in Providence, Utah.

Vilja is most often described as sweet and loving. She cherished her husband, daughter, grandkids, adopted pets and grand-pets, extended family all over the world, and church and work friends who became extended family. She showed her love by cooking appams and tuna fish cutlets, packing lunches and mailing bags of diamond cuts across the US, and ensuring everyone was warm under heated blankets, even in southern California.

Faith in God was central to Vilja’s life. She served as a spiritual leader in her family and community, and she prayed and fasted for the needs of others. In recent years, she attended weekly Bible studies over Zoom. After finally retiring in 2020, she cared for her mother, worked in her garden, and set up an outrageous number of bird feeders and baths around her backyard that were visited by birds, squirrels, chipmunks, bugs, and an occasional snake. Even as her health declined, she managed to play tea shop and table tennis with her grandkids, place orders weekly at Costco, and giggle through the entire Seinfeld series, which she watched at least 10 times.

Vilja is survived by her husband Baban (George), daughter Elizabeth and son-in-law Nick, grandchildren, Elina and Dylan, grand-dogs, Emma and Clara, siblings Eva, Mohan, and Rita, and many other members of her extended family. We will miss her dearly.

She was preceded into heaven by her parents C.I. and Vilasini Jacob, sisters-in-law Shehnaz Jacob and Mary Oommen, nephew Rahul Sebastian, and many spoiled cats and dogs (Tiffany, Vanessa, Ian, Misty, Kuchapoo, Sophia, Sonia, Felicity, Cecily, Julia, and Olivia). 

A viewing will be held on Friday, November 1, 2024, from 5 to 8 pm at St. John’s Episcopal Church (85 E 100 N, Logan, UT 84321). Funeral services will be held on Saturday, November 2, 2024, at 9 am also at St. John’s Episcopal Church, followed by burial services at Providence City Cemetery (925 River Heights Blvd, River Heights, UT 84321). 

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Vilja’s name to the Cache Humane Society (https://cachehumane.org/donate) or St. John’s Episcopal Church (https://secure.myvanco.com/L-YSD2/home).

If anyone has any questions or concerns about Vilja's services, please call White Pine Funeral Services at 435-709-6800 to get in contact with the family.

The Friday night service can be viewed via Zoom at: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87141723082

The Saturday morning service can be viewed via this link: https://www.youtube.com/@StJohnsEpiscopalLoganUT/streams