Elizabeth "Libby" Thomas

Elizabeth “Libby” Thomas, aged 74 of Fairborn, OH (formerly, Drexel Hill, PA) passed away peacefully, Monday, June 29, 2026. She was born October 1, 1951, in Kerala, India, the daughter of the late T. Chacko and Sara (Mathew) Chacko. 

Libby earned a master’s degree while living in India and later completed her bachelor’s degree in computer science at Purdue University in Indiana. Libby was determined to grow and thrive in each stage of her journey. She enjoyed her work role as an IT Data Analyst with Liberty Resources Incorporated in Philadelphia, PA, a non-profit organization. She cherished this organization's mission, vision and values, serving people with disabilities. Her church friends and family called her “Libby.” Her grandsons called her "Ammachi," and Neil and Priya called her "Mummy". Libby deeply valued friendship and the rich ministry she found while meeting with the Church in Philadelphia. She volunteered with the ministry books service and enjoyed cooking meals for those needing support, such as mothers with newborn babies. As she prayed for safe driving, she often thanked the Lord Jesus for her "mingled spirit" (1 Corinthians 6:17; Romans 8:16). Libby enjoyed gardening, tending to tomato plants that yield prolific harvests and flowers in window boxes.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, Libby moved to Fairborn, OH, continuing a life built around her faith-based community and staying in contact with her siblings and family and Mahilalayam Secondary School friends. In Fairborn, she met with the Church in Fairborn (CiF), where she opened her home for small groups, prayer, and Bible study. She knitted scarves for her grandsons and made herself available to tutor them. She was a "trouper"—determined, and persistent until the very end. In the last stages of her life, in the midst of several health crises, there were indications of private, spiritual, and mysterious experiences of Christ as her Life. The north wind and the south wind blew upon her garden. And there were moments of the fragrance of Christ (Song of Songs 4:16; 2 Corinthians 2:15). During this time, her relationship with Neil deepened, and she expressed her deep sense that he was her own son.

In the midst of ongoing crises that evoked deep despair, Neil encouraged Priya using the words of their past Christian mentor. Neil said, now I know why [this mentor] said, we need to just let God be God. We are learning to have conversations with and love this God who arranges all things...In the midst of tragedy and chaos, our experiences testify of God’s steadfast faithfulness to our family, aligned with His plan to dispense Christ as Life into His people. This is His economy (I Timothy 1:4) which is indeed personal and intimate. Step by step we saw God's awe-inspiring, yet hidden hand heading up the chaos, in His constructive, divine economy (Ephesians 1:10) .We are deeply thankful for the rich and highly skilled social support system that bore us through two years of tragic crises and loss. Even in the midst of dementia symptoms, Libby saw that her hospice nurse, Amber, cared, and she asked Amber whether she was an angel. She built relationships with her Assisted Living floor nurse, Karen, and the Nurse Leaders Heather and Shannon. We received support and coaching from a team of interdisciplinary professionals, from medical, behavioral health to legal. We would not have had a way to support Mummy through the series of "perfect storms" were it not for prayer from our faith based communities, including fellowship and care from our home Bible Study group, personalized support from our sons' school, Wright State work leaders and co-workers, classmate friends and professors and Mum's nephew Sumit.

Libby is preceded in death by her parents, T. Chacko and Sara Chacko. She is survived by one daughter, Priya (Neil) Small; two grandsons, Benjamin and Timothy; two sisters, Susan (Shashi) Sharma and Sara Chacko (Ben); brother, Thomas "Anil" Chacko (Regie). She is also survived by her niece and 3 nephews with their families. 

A Celebration of Life meeting will be held at 10:00 AM, Saturday, August 8, 2026, at the Belton-Stroup Funeral Home, 422 E. Dayton-Yellow Springs Rd., Fairborn, OH 45324. The family will receive visitors at 10:00 AM; following the Celebration of Life meeting, visitors are invited to stay for a gathering of friends and family until 12:00 PM / NOON. 

Arrangements are in the care of Belton-Stroup Funeral Home, Fairborn, OH.