November 13, 2015
Lorna Auma Omolo was born on the twelfth day of November, 1931 in the village of Madiri, Yala Township, Gem location, Siaya County to the late Shem and Nerea Ougo.
She attended Nyamninia Primary and Ng’iya Girls Schools and in 1948, was in the inaugural and select class of The Alliance Girls High School.
In the home, she was a role model and mentor to her eight siblings: the late Albert Agina, Isaac Wale, Samuel Ougo, James Okelo, the late Mark Okumu, Eng. Edward Samba, Monicah Machani and Festus Agina, and will always be remembered for her encouragement, generosity and selfless role in their education.
For the young girls in Siaya District, she was the ideal to emulate.
Lorna had an illustrious teaching career at multiple institutions. Highlights of her profession in education include mentoring many of our great leaders at
- Ng’iya Girls School,
- Butere Girls School
- Kisumu Union School and
- Maseno Girls School.
While at Butere, she met Jephthah David Wandera, known to many as “JD”. They courted and were married on December twelfth, 1958.
In 1964, she became Protocol Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After her tenure serving in our first government, she decided to continue to pursue her passion – education. She graduated from the University of Nairobi, Class of 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors, in Linguistics and Sociology.
She spent additional some time in post-graduate studies at Kenyatta University in the Department of Linguistics.
Lorna, fondly referred to as NyaGem, joined the Kenya Institute of Education in 1973 where she headed Curriculum Development in English and co-authored several publications in the "The Progressive Peak English Course Series" . She traveled throughout the country in a very successful quest to improve English teaching in the nation and spoke often with joy of her adventures in linguistics and culture.
Lorna loved music and had a nightingale-like voice. Her passion for music was fulfilled in her work with The Kenya Music Festival, which she enjoyed tremendously.
She retired from public service in 1985, remaining active in The Kenya Music Festival activities and family business ventures in Nairobi and Western Kenya. After the demise of her cherished son Andrew, and her beloved husband Jephthah, she returned to Nairobi in 2007, where she resided until her death.
Lorna suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis, an auto-immune condition, for more than forty years. She bore her pain and challenges with grace and valour. As the condition progressed, she became more and more physically restricted and though her body was weakened, her love, grace and faith did not wane. Our beloved Lorna eventually fell seriously ill at the end of May 2015 and on June 22nd, 2015 she joined her treasured sons Emmanuel and Andrew, and her beloved Jephthah in God’s Glory.
Lorna Wandera accepted Jesus as her Personal Savior on May 9th, 1949. She was gifted with incisive insights from a highly analytical mind. She was strict and set very high standards. She was passionate, and her musical mind-set imbued her with the desire to see order and perfect execution. She was an exceptionally loving and sacrificially devoted wife, mother and grandmother. Lorna displayed principle, ethics, fairness and beauty in everything she did.
She leaves behind a family she could not have loved more, and a family that adores her intensely. Her death is a stinging loss but we are not forsaken and look to God who is our Hope.
The dignified Lorna Auma Omolo Wandera has left an indelible mark in the hearts of all who had the fortune to meet her. May Her Soul Rest in God’s Eternal Peace.
She attended Nyamninia Primary and Ng’iya Girls Schools and in 1948, was in the inaugural and select class of The Alliance Girls High School.
In the home, she was a role model and mentor to her eight siblings: the late Albert Agina, Isaac Wale, Samuel Ougo, James Okelo, the late Mark Okumu, Eng. Edward Samba, Monicah Machani and Festus Agina, and will always be remembered for her encouragement, generosity and selfless role in their education.
For the young girls in Siaya District, she was the ideal to emulate.
Lorna had an illustrious teaching career at multiple institutions. Highlights of her profession in education include mentoring many of our great leaders at
- Ng’iya Girls School,
- Butere Girls School
- Kisumu Union School and
- Maseno Girls School.
While at Butere, she met Jephthah David Wandera, known to many as “JD”. They courted and were married on December twelfth, 1958.
In 1964, she became Protocol Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After her tenure serving in our first government, she decided to continue to pursue her passion – education. She graduated from the University of Nairobi, Class of 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors, in Linguistics and Sociology.
She spent additional some time in post-graduate studies at Kenyatta University in the Department of Linguistics.
Lorna, fondly referred to as NyaGem, joined the Kenya Institute of Education in 1973 where she headed Curriculum Development in English and co-authored several publications in the "The Progressive Peak English Course Series" . She traveled throughout the country in a very successful quest to improve English teaching in the nation and spoke often with joy of her adventures in linguistics and culture.
Lorna loved music and had a nightingale-like voice. Her passion for music was fulfilled in her work with The Kenya Music Festival, which she enjoyed tremendously.
She retired from public service in 1985, remaining active in The Kenya Music Festival activities and family business ventures in Nairobi and Western Kenya. After the demise of her cherished son Andrew, and her beloved husband Jephthah, she returned to Nairobi in 2007, where she resided until her death.
Lorna suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis, an auto-immune condition, for more than forty years. She bore her pain and challenges with grace and valour. As the condition progressed, she became more and more physically restricted and though her body was weakened, her love, grace and faith did not wane. Our beloved Lorna eventually fell seriously ill at the end of May 2015 and on June 22nd, 2015 she joined her treasured sons Emmanuel and Andrew, and her beloved Jephthah in God’s Glory.
Lorna Wandera accepted Jesus as her Personal Savior on May 9th, 1949. She was gifted with incisive insights from a highly analytical mind. She was strict and set very high standards. She was passionate, and her musical mind-set imbued her with the desire to see order and perfect execution. She was an exceptionally loving and sacrificially devoted wife, mother and grandmother. Lorna displayed principle, ethics, fairness and beauty in everything she did.
She leaves behind a family she could not have loved more, and a family that adores her intensely. Her death is a stinging loss but we are not forsaken and look to God who is our Hope.
The dignified Lorna Auma Omolo Wandera has left an indelible mark in the hearts of all who had the fortune to meet her. May Her Soul Rest in God’s Eternal Peace.