Vadappuram Pilo Chacko, known to friends and family as Chacko, passed away in his home in Ambler, Pennsylvania, on March 25, 2024, at the age of 79. He was born on September 30, 1944, in Kerala, India, to Pailo and Aleykutty Vadappuram. 

Chacko was a dedicated student who achieved his doctorate in chemistry at the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras, India. While he was a doctoral student in Kanpur, he met and fell in love with Ann Joseph, to whom he soon proposed. After marrying and having their first daughter in Kerala, the family moved to the Netherlands where Chacko conducted postdoctoral research at University of Nijmegen. After a few years, they moved to Canada, where Chacko worked at University of British Columbia, Vancouver, and their second daughter was born. In 1979, the family moved to the United States when Chacko started working at the University of California, Davis. They moved again in 1982, when Chacko began to work at University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis, where their third daughter was born. 

In 1984, the family moved to Baltimore County, Maryland, where Chacko would live for the next 30 years. He became an Assistant Professor of Radiology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where he conducted magnetic resonance research at the School of Medicine. His research was published in nationally-recognized medical journals. Chacko’s colleagues admired him not only for his intelligence and dedication to science, but also for his kindness, humor, faith, and commitment to family.

Upon retiring in 2015, Chacko and his wife moved to Ambler, Pennsylvania, to be closer to their three daughters in the area. He was a dedicated gardener, and spent a lot of time cultivating fruits and vegetables, trying out new planting techniques, and sculpting a beautiful backyard. Retirement also afforded him more time to enjoy watching his favorite sports, tennis and baseball (Go O’s!), hone his Lego and Play-Doh engineering skills with his granddaughter, and take long walks with his best canine friend.

Chacko is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Ann Chacko; three daughters, Sonia Jaslow, Nancy Chacko, and Christine Chacko; two sons-in-law, David Jaslow and Michael Andrade; 3 grandchildren; and his beloved dog Tucker. He will be remembered for his contributions to magnetic resonance research, his mischievous spirit, and his abiding love for his family.