Ho Nurses' Training College Chapter lost an active member

The sad news of the death of Miss Magdalene Esiawonam Tsivanyo, aged 24 came unexpectedly on the morning of Sunday 19^th February, 2012. She was reported to have departed as a result of a relapse of an illness which occurred shortly after she was admitted, treated and discharged from the Volta Regional Hospital two weeks earlier.

Prior to the burial and thanksgiving service which to place on the 31^st March and 1^st April respectively, the union Chapters, both at Ho Polytechnic and the N.T.C visited the bereaved families of the deceased on frequent and successive trends to sympathize with them as a result of the great loss and also to inquire of updates about the funeral arrangements. Ho Poly chapter, led by Mr. Courage Mensah was present in the family house on 22^nd February and 10^th March, 2012 to mourn with the bereaved family. The bereaved chapter, N.T.C, led by Israelmore Ayivor was also present later on the 24^th February and 21^st March with their consolation messages to the bereaved relatives. However, various individual members also paid their respective sympathizing visits consequently.

During the 4^th ARSSU National Congress held earlier in March 2012, the former President of ARSSU, Mr. Aho Saviour officially announced the news of the death of the former member and called on their attendants to observe a one-minute silence in memory of her departure. The date for the funeral was also disclosed to the members of ARSSU during the congress.

As arranged by the bereaved family in consultation with the mother branch of the deceased, the funeral ceremony was scheduled to take effect from Friday 30^th March to 1^st April 2012 which was successful.

Friday, 30^th March 2012

The lifeless body of the deceased was conveyed from the morgue of the Volta Regional Hospital at about 5:00pm in a hearse, accompanied by relatives mourners, friends from the Nursing School, ARSSU members from the various chapters present, amidst singing of funeral songs.

Wake-keeping ceremony started at about 9:20pm, led by Rev. J.W.T. Gbloekpor and Rev. Mawutor Wovenu. The service was graced with singing from various the various church choirs, exhortation from the clergy and tributes from friends and loved ones.

In his sermon, Rev. Gbloekpor consoled the family of the departed soul with the words “God knows best”. He stated however every situation before it occurs and everything done by God. At 12:00pm, a prayer was offered and the wake –keeping service was ended with the corpse ready for viewing by sympathizers.

Saturday, 31^st March 20212

The Saturday marked the burial day in the morning ARSSU Members filed pass the body laid in state to bid their farewell messages. At 9:20am, burial serviced commenced, led by Rev. Gbloekpor. It lasted for three (3) hours  with activities such as singing, tribute reading and exhortations.

Her biography was read by a family member who touched on her devoutness to the work of God even when she was younger. In a tribute read on behalf of the father, she was describe as an honest lady with the spirit of humility and integrity. 

Magdalene worked at New Seed clinic as she was awaiting the results of her licensure examinations. For that reason, delegated staffs from the Clinic were at the funeral to pay their final respect. In their tribute, they indicated her as a lady who created a sense of humour in their working environment with her jokes and kept everyone smiling at work. The head of Community Health Nursing School of the Nurses’ Training College, Madam Akor, said she was a brilliant student and passed the competitive licensure examination held for the students few months ago.

The church of A.R.S, Central Branch also called her “a devoted Christian” who never goes lazy about her religious duties. The chapter of ARSSU, Nurses’ Training College chapter in a sympathetic mood with the family shared with the deceased family that Magdalene was a sister to them as they all behave as siblings in the union. Israelmore Ayivor, the former Secretary of the chapter and the former Secretary of ARSSU National, informed the relatives that she was equally a great loss to the union just she was a lost to the family. ARSSU’s tributes described Magdalene as “a sister, who single handled two ARSSU positions in the union without any noticed of drift in any of them…..as evident by many achievements of the union which can’t be captured on this small page”.

A presentation was made to the family by ARSSU National as a token of sympathy as well as a wreath in memory of her departure.

Burial was at the A.R.S Cemetery at 12:00pm.

May her Soul Rest In Peace.