Grace Njeri Matiru

Grace Njeri Matiru was born on 27 August 1964, at Pumwani Hospital, Nairobi. She entered this world with a spirit that would later blossom into the extraordinary person we all came to know and cherish. Njeri was the daughter of Margaret Wanjiru Matiru and the late retired Elder Gad Matiru Ndirangu. She was a sibling to Eliud Ndirangu, William Muiruri, Lucy Wanjiku, and Rhoda Wanjiru.

Education and Employment

In the midst of Njeri’s achievements, whether personal or professional, we find a testament to her tenacity and dedication. She attended Parklands Primary School, Nairobi (now Dr. Ribeiro Parklands School) for her Primary School Education, and on successful completion of her CPE examination, she proceeded to Visa Oshwal Girls’ Secondary School also in Nairobi, where she completed her ‘O’ levels, then proceeded to Valley Secretarial College Nairobi.

Njeri has worked with various reputable organizations both in Kenya and the USA.

In Kenya, she was employed by Waruhiu and Muite Advocates as Secretary to one of the senior partners. She then found greener pastures and moved to Price Waterhouse (now PwC), then to Diners Finance where she worked until she pulled off a bold move and, despite her consistently progressive career in Kenya, relocated to the United States of America in 1994.

Njeri continued to prosper even in the US. She worked for Procter and Gamble and Domino’s Pizza. In her relentless endeavor to be the best she could, Njeri would not settle for simple conveniences and decided to pick up her education where she had stopped.

She joined Howard Community College where she completed her associate degree. She then joined the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) from 2007 to 2009 where she received dual Masters’ Degrees in sociology (Health Policy) and a Master of Arts (M.A). She worked for the Maryland Department of Health as a Health Policy Analyst/Program Manager from May 2009 to June 2018. She was a Grant Manager at Helping Up Mission from February 2022 until her demise.

Family

Beyond the tangible accomplishments, it was Njeri’s character and love for family that truly set her apart.

In addition to her parents and siblings, Njeri was blessed with a family of her own and was a doting Mom to Mwaura Thuku, and Alex Thuku, who fondly referred to her as ‘Maitu’.

Church

Njeri was born to staunch Christian parents who introduced her to the Church in her early years. She was baptized and confirmed in the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) St. Stephen’s Church Kagaa. She followed the PCEA Church until she was an adult. She later associated with the Catholic Church where her son Mwaura was baptized.

Social Life

We shall remember Njeri as a life-loving person who engaged in work and pleasure. She was an achiever, owning her first car, and housing herself in Kenya in her 20s. In her growing-up years, she loved the country life and would occasionally join the farm workers in tilling the land or harvesting the crop of the day. The countryside also offered lots of opportunities for fun in the rain, in the sun, in the streams, and even in the neighboring Ruiru Dam where she and other children occasionally enjoyed boat rides. In her school years, Njeri was a member of the Wildlife Club and the Kenya Girl Guides Association.

To the wider family and community, she was the loving, fun, adorable, caring auntie, cousin, grandmother, and friend to many.

Illness

In August 2023, Njeri traveled to Kenya to join her family at home for her late father’s memorial celebration. A few weeks after her return from Kenya, she contended with illness and had plans to visit her doctor. However, God had other plans and she was found unresponsive in her residence by her landlord on Wednesday, 20 December 2023.

In times of joy, Njeri reveled in the shared laughter and triumphs of family and friends. In moments of sorrow, she offered solace and a comforting presence that eased the burdens of those around them. May her soul find eternal peace, and may we, in our remembrance, find comfort in the shared journey we were privileged to undertake with her.

A Visitation for Grace will be held Saturday, January 6, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM at Gary L. Kaufman Funeral Home at Meadowridge Memorial Park, 7250 Washington Blvd, Elkridge, MD 21075, where a Funeral Service will follow from 10:30 AM to 12:15 PM; Burial Meadowridge Memorial Park.

To view the online funeral program: https://www.canva.com/design/DAF44RWPvCY/lJeBqP3FtuIUpu35GAM_tw/view?utm_content=DAF44RWPvCY&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=editor