Grace O. Enwemeka was born on May 2, 1957 in Accra (Jamestown), Ghana. She spent her early childhood there before her family moved back to their native Nigeria where Grace attended Baptist Primary School and United Christian Secondary School in Lagos (Apapa). She was known as a truly outstanding student and was active in sports. Grace went on to Auchi Polytechnic in Edo State, Nigeria where she studied secretarial studies. She moved to the United States in 1982 and completed a master's degree in higher education administration at Baruch College in New York City in 1985.
After moving around the country a few times, Grace settled down in Overland Park, Kansas in 1993. Grace was an advocate at heart who cared deeply about social issues. She loved to help people and built her career in health and human services. She helped older residents navigate aging, and provided care and social services to young people in the criminal justice system. She spent the last 19 years serving countless families in the Kansas City metro area as a case manager at the Missouri Department of Mental Health. She had a true passion for this challenging profession and worked tirelessly to make a difference in people’s lives.
Warm. Generous. Kind. Strong. These are the words friends and family use to describe Grace. She was a caring mom who took a lot of pride in her children, and was previously married for 27 years. She was also a source of support for her nieces and nephews. She had a beautiful smile and wonderful laugh. Her hugs were the best. She loved to cook and was great at it. Her delicious meals were always, as she would say, “made with love.” And she enjoyed sharing her Nigerian food and culture with others. She also knew how to get down on the dance floor. Grace was full of faith and an active member of her church, where she helped run the children’s division. She was beloved in her local Nigerian community — she helped welcome many to the area and developed long-standing friendships.
She truly embodied her name, Grace.
Grace is survived by her children, Chukuka, Jr., Zeninjor and Sombiri Enwemeka; her grandchildren Ozioma and Umeh Enwemeka; and her brother Vincent Isibor. She is deeply loved and dearly missed by her aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, friends and colleagues. Her warm presence, strong spirit and constant generosity will always be in our hearts. Her beautiful bright light will continue to shine.
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