Mrs. Philomena “Joy” Ferris-Prabhu, 88, passed away suddenly into the arms of the Lord on February 7, 2026, at her home. She had returned to Vermont seven days previously from a six-week trip to California to visit her son and family. She was blessed to be in good health in all respects until her passing.
Joy was born in Bombay, India, on July 16, 1937, the beloved eldest daughter of Julian and Ruby (Pinto) Colaco. She received her early education at St. Teresa’s Convent School and entered Sophia College for Women (established by the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and affiliated with the University of Bombay). Simultaneously, she took private lessons in pianoforte and theory of music, receiving the L.T.C.L. from Trinity College of Music, London.
In 1960, she broke with tradition and worked as a private secretary to His Highness Maharaja Sriraj of Dhrangadhra, Gujarat, India. She spent summers at the vacation residence in Poona, and when it was remodeled, she played a significant role in the interior design.
She married Albert Ferris-Prabhu on August 10, 1967, in Bombay, India, and joined her husband in Maryland, just outside of the nation’s capital. The following year, they moved to Vermont with their newborn son, Arjun, when Albert took a job with IBM Burlington.
In 1977, Joy began teaching piano lessons. This was the start of an incredible 36-year journey of connection with students and their parents, leading to many lifelong friendships which she treasured.
In 1982, she graduated summa cum laude with a degree in psychology from the University of Vermont and received the department’s Outstanding Student Award.
It gave her great pleasure to design her colonial house in 1984 and later to design a formal garden which was featured in the 2006 Flynn Garden Tour. She was a parishioner at St. Catherine of Siena from 1969 and a member of the Burlington Garden Club, followed by the Shelburne & Charlotte Garden Club.
Joy is remembered for her kindness, gentleness, faith, grace, empathy and ability to forgive. She had an incredible memory and was a great storyteller. She loved playing mahjong, visiting gardens throughout the East Coast and always appreciated nature, especially birds. She was a wonderful daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and friend to many.
She is survived by her son, Arjun (Catherine) Prabhu of Palo Alto, Calif.; two grandchildren, Jacob and Samantha; two granddogs, Tisco and Charli; sister Helen “Pearl” Mathias of Mumbai, India; brothers Claude (Anita) Colaco of Mumbai, India, Stephen (Miriam) Colaco of Santa Cruz, Calif., and Christopher (Berna) Colaco of Mumbai, India; and many wonderful nieces and nephews from the Colaco and Ferris families. She was predeceased by her father in 1989; her mother in 1995; her husband of 29 years, Albert Ferris-Prabhu, in 1996; and her youngest sister, Marie-Therese Colaco, in 2014.
Joy’s family would like to thank all the many dear friends in Vermont who made it possible for her to continue to live in the home and community she loved.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Shelburne, with burial following in the Shelburne Village Cemetery. Visiting hours will be held on Friday, May 1, at the Ready Funeral Home, South Chapel, 261 Shelburne Rd, Burlington, VT.