Wife - Helen Kofi Adjei

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:1

Joseph, today, October 30^th is exactly 30 days since you painfully left me. I am broken to an extent only I know.

I met Joe in 1972 at a restaurant. He was full of jokes and we were immediately attracted to each other. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to share his dreams, hopes, love, friendship, and much more. He was very caring and friendly. He took his career as an accountant very seriously. My parents loved him dearly because they realized he had a bright future.

He later joined me at my church, the Ghana Police Church, where we got married after a few years of dating. We subsequently started building our family. He was such a great father to our children and never joked with their education, and he ensured that they received the best.

Unfortunately, my husband’s health started failing twenty-one years ago in Ghana. His doctors gave up on him, discharged him from the hospital, and closed his files. I happened to be in the United States at the time, getting our daughter settled in school.

So, we immediately made arrangements for him to join me in Washington State for further medical treatment.

Despite his medical challenges we tried to have a life as normal as possible. We were there for each other, and together we enjoyed the joys of grandparenthood. We built beautiful friendships both in and outside our Ghanaian community, some of whom we refer to as family now. I’d miss our occasional date nights, especially our conversations and laughter.

We were planning to celebrate our 50th anniversary together next year. We had also planned a visit to Ghana in December this year. The necessary equipment, a walker and recliner, we had already shipped to Ghana.

I am grateful to God for creating you and making our paths cross in this short beautiful life. Your sudden departure is one of the worst things that has happened to me in life. However, it has reminded me and affirmed the fact that death is an inevitable phenomenon and will come no matter what. The forty-nine years we spent together, without an iota of doubt, I will treasure for the rest of my days.

I affectionately called you Joe, Joseph, Lampado or Nii Kofi. Farewell Kofi, da yie, rest safely in the Lord’s bosom. You will forever be in my heart. Our children and I will always remember and pray for you. May the good Lord keep you till we meet again. Da yie, me dofo pa, da yie.