Prathibha V. Tharimala

Dr. Prathibha V. Tharimala, age 77, of Hyde Park neighborhood in Chicago, passed away on December 4, 2022.  Beloved wife of Venugopalacharlu Tharimala; loving mother of Jaya Tharimala (Sridhar Ramaswamy);  cherished grandmother of Nikhil and Meghana Ramaswamy; dearest sister of Dr. V R Jayaram (Kamala) Vangipuram, Anuradha (the late Thirumale Srinivasa) Rangan and Dr. Srigurunath (Padmini) Vangipuram; dear aunt of many nieces and nephews.

Prathibha was a pediatrician for the Chicago Department of Public Health. Her longest tenure was at Englewood Neighborhood Health Clinic where she worked tirelessly to provide access to primary care services for children in Chicago's Southside. During her career, Prathibha also worked in the ER at Cook County Health and Mercy Hospital and Medical Center. She was an avid walker and traveler, having trekked to the foothills of the Himalayas and walked more than 30,000 miles along Lake Michigan over 20 years. She was known to her colleagues as a compassionate and caring physician, and to her friends and family, she was always loving, selfless, and kind.

In lieu of flowers, her family asks that charitable donations may be made to Save The Children and Unicef.