"Mami Grace", as fondly called by the family and "Mami Sheeshia" as she was endearingly called by the community, was born in 1936 and has lived 77 fulfilling years. She was a pillar of positive energy. She was always bubbling with smiles and laughter as she ran towards you with open warm arms to welcome you to her home. In the family she encouraged forgiveness and reconciliation. She built many bridges of peace and love amongst her siblings, in-laws, family and friends. As a christian woman, she was very spiritual and believed a lot in the power of prayer. Her days began with prayer and ended with prayer. In her prayers she would thank God for the mercies of the day, the protection of the day and the blessings of the day. Mami was a Baptist christian, baptized by immersion in the Lepacam River in Bamenda. She was one of the pioneer Baptists at the Baptist Church in Nkwen, a mission opened by Americans. As a community leader, she believed in Education and emphasized the importance of character building for the youth. Her house was a gathering place for Sheeshia youth. Socially, she was so open minded that she was nominated matron of various ethnic groups. Politically she spear-headed many pro-democracy grass roots matches, taking a lot of tear gas and brutality from anti-democratic forces. Her home was ransacked many times but she never stopped fighting for progress for the nation.
As a sister, she shared LOVE, with all her siblings by finding the time to visit, spending weeks and sometimes months with each one. She was honored to be designated in the family as the successor of Anwi Meta, her maternal grandmother. In Banjah village, she was highly respected by the Ndingsa family and the Fon's family.
As an aunt, she welcomed her nieces and nephews equally, treating them like her children. She had an abundance of hugs and warm delicious meals. No child ever left her house without some financial gift and she stressed that they use the money to buy materials for education. She loved farming and owned many farms for growing vegetables, corn, groundnuts and more, which she harvested and made sure her nieces, nephews and all surrounding her, got their share. She believed that every child should aspire to the highest level of education but should also have a connection to agriculture and to the culture.
She had a daughter Elizabeth whom she named after Queen Elizabeth of England because she was born on the Queen's birthday, June 12th. Sadly Elizabeth passed away from influenza before the age of 2 in 1957. Mami Grace was however still a very loving mother to many and all of her children will deeply miss her
We are very grateful to Mami Grace that in her final days on earth she left us with her cherished values of LOVE and PEACE. In 2009, Mami Grace received a pacemaker for her heart. She continued to live happily until her recent passing away on July 18, 2013 from complications of malaria, a mosquito-borne disease. The family is blessed and deeply grateful for the tremendous outpour of love and support following her passing.