BIOGRAPHY / EULOGY to My Dear MUM; Daa Consta

BIRTH & EDUCATION:- Madame Constantia Ami Elikem Kaledzi was born on the 19th of December 1942 at Bleamezado to the late Mr. Wilberforce Kofi Kporfor Kaledzi and Madame Ami Hamenoo both of blessed memory.

Sister Consta as she was affectionately known both by family and colleagues, started her primary education at the Bleamezado EP school in 1949 till middle Form one and was baptised there in 1950 by Rev. Ametepi.

Her Form 2 education was in Alakple but had to move to Anloga on the death of her dear Mother and completed Forms 3 & 4 there at the EP middle school with Distinction in 1959.

TRAINING & WORK LIFE:- As the first born to her Mother who died when she was quite young herself. Being the eldest of her mother, she had younger siblings to care for so she took the post of a Pupil Teacher for a year at Akplorfudzi in 1960.

She later sat for the Nurses training examination successfully and trained as a Qualified Registered Mental Nurse (QRMN) from 1961 - 64 at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital where she worked until 1974. With an insatiable passion for her profession, she had further training at the Effia Nkwanta Hospital, Sekondi-Takoradi as a State Registered Nurse (SRN) from 1977 - 79 with an additional year of service before returning to Accra.

With her zest for knowledge, Constance underwent Midwifery training at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in 1980 - 82 before her additional training at Pantang Psychiatric Hospital school for another year. There she remained and served until 2002 when she retired as a Principal Nursing Officer but, went back for 5 years during which she was part of a committee pivotal in building a Special ward for children with psychiatric problems.

FAMILY LIFE:- Sis Constance was married to the Late Boumas Dogbatsey in 1964 and after a traumatic ectopic, she had her first child; Gifty (Mrs. Agagah) followed by Bright (Agbeko) to the Late Mr Emmanuel Dzadu. Coming from a large and close-knit family, Constance had 12 siblings: 7 Brothers and 5 Sisters. She also had 4 grandsons and 1 granddaughter.

To her Grandchildren, Nieces and Nephews, she was secretly called “THE KALEDZI MATRIARCH”.

She is survived by 2 children, 3 brothers, 4 sisters and 5 grandchildren.

HER NATURE:- Mum by nature was:

Loving, Kind and Good Natured – Mum will go to all lengths to give her last and had a special ‘Dorcas-like’ ministry especially for ministers of the gospel, except that she didn’t make them herself like Dorcas did. She loved hymns but didn’t have the voice for it yet undeterred, she’ll hum and do her dance moves.

Even in difficult times, you’ll visit the extended families in the village, distributing medications, provisions, clothing, etc; You were very Selfless.

You were a mother to many and a disciplinarian who never minced her words, so we knew where we stood with you. You LOVED receiving visits and telephone calls and will answer every single one regardless of where you were or what time it was. To you, they have taken

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the time to remember you and call so you have to respect that even if that means not being able to go back to sleep or your food going cold.

Industrious, Clean & Tidy – Relentless and Resilient like ‘a dog with a bone’; to her, rest is overrated. Mum was never seen resting though her grandchildren has many videos/pictures of her dozing off while washing a dish, chatting or even standing . She’ll retort when asked that, she has all eternity ahead of her to have all the rest her body needs; So there you go Mum, rest well indeed!!

– As for Cleanliness & Tidiness, she was first class and found it frustrating in her latter years when she couldn’t maintain the same level herself. Her high standards were so unmatched, that most who lived with her gave up on trying but she’ll not rest till it was done; it was her sacred duty.

A Great Custodian- I can give several examples of how good Mum was at taking good care of, and safely keeping things for instance:

➢ She still has the bath bowl her firstborn bath used when she was a baby!. About 5yrs ago she gave her daughter a necklace made from her first ever baby waist beads.

➢ Earlier this year, she gave her Sister Alice a pair of ‘Kete’ cloth that belonged to their late mother of over six decades.

➢ I also recall her phone call to a lady, asking her to come for a ring which belonged to their deceased father but he had given it to Mum for safekeeping over 40years ago. We could go on and on …

CHRISTIAN WALK / CHURCH LIFE:- Sis Constance has always attended the Evangelical Presbyterian (EP) Church (comma), most of her life and made her recommitments to Christ in 1990. She then became an active, committed, generous and faithful steward of the EP Church ‘of’ Ghana, now Global Evangelical Church; Adonai Chapel Branch in Madina.

She was involved in the Church building project through the purchase of cement, gravels, furniture, made clothes for and supported the Pastors / Catechists in ways she could. Sis Constance was an active member of the ‘Dorcas Ministry’ and kept in touch with the group even after moving away. They were present in their numbers during her 70th and 75th birthday dancing together.

A few years after her retirement, she moved to her new residence Tema C18 but continued to commute to the Adonai Chapel in Madina until she was forced to find a branch closer to home due to her frailty. She joined Living Faith, Global Evangelical Church, Kotobaabi in C18 in her later years but was unable to attend church in the last 3-4years. However, she maintained her financial obligations to the church. She was visited often by members at home for fellowship and communion.

Whenever she was in London, Madam Constance worshipped at Sureway International with her daughter and is therefore known to many who always ask of her, telephone and visit her when in Ghana. She loved to hear greetings from Sureway members and cherished the fact that many still remember her. On the Sunday in question, over 20 members asked of Mum and we knew how excited she’ll be to hear it but, we never got to tell her.

She was fortunate to have her younger Sister Alice who has an insatiable appetite for Prayers and Bible Studies. They therefore dedicated 1-2hours twice daily without fail, fellowshipping morning and night. This, plus the visits from the Church kept her oil full and flames burning until her last day.

3- Madame Constantia Ami Elikem Kaledzi’s Biography & Tributes.

Later Years:- Mum was plagued by ill health with reduced mobility following her 70th birthday which worsened in the last 3years. She will always say, ‘there are only two outcomes to ill health; you either get healed or get taken back to your maker to rest and I’m ready.’

She spoke openly about death to the extent that, we started this biography about 6 years ago. On one of her yearly visits home, her daughter found a case full of items she’s packed ready for use in her burial, her daughter was so upset that she notified her uncle and burnt the items.

Mum did not take the death of her younger brother Leo last year well at all and never got over it before her elder sister Mary’s demise in May. She’ll always ask why not her with all the ailments being called home instead of her siblings?

Before leaving her back her Mum to come back to the UK in August after her Sis Mary’s funeral, her daughter told her the grandchildren will be visiting her between October and December; Mum was so excited and looking forward to it! However, just 5 days after her daughter’s departure, Madam Constance answered her Master’s call on that beautiful Sunday.

Earlier that morning, she woke up her younger Sister Alice who sleeps with her about 3x during the night which was unusual; on one of those, she instructed her to listen attentively to what she had to say because ‘’she is tired and will be taking the lead’’. In the morning, however, she was her usual self as if no conversations took place in the night; she had her wash, and breakfast, and was going about in her usual way little did anyone know it was her last but GOD KNEW! As her favourite Scripture in Jer 29:11- For God knew his plans for her and he said ‘they are plans for good … to give you a future and a hope with him.

The next we heard was the Shocking, distressing, despairing, devastating, dreadful, awful, and Heart-rendering News!! It was a blow too big to take that we all decided to sleep over it and regroup in the morning but it wasn’t a bad dream.

A great tree fell Indeed! The Kaledzi Matriarch is Gone!! A vacuum too big to fill has been left.

Mama, Sister Consta, Aunty Constance, Daa Consta!! You've put on the imperishable and immortality.

You are no longer in Pain! We hope your new address and Mansion “is to your delight”; it is big and tidy just as you like it!

This scripture is fulfilled; “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

Our hope in Christ is not only for this life (I Cor 15:19) so we take consolation in these verses:

• Is 57:2- For those who follow Godly paths will rest in Peace when they die- NLT

• I Cor 15:50- For our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever.

• Mt 5:4- Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

• Ps 116:15- Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.

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