Okechukwu Romaine

BACKGROUND

Our dear husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, Okechukwu Cyril Romaine went home to his maker on May, 5. 2021.

Okechukwu was born December 9, 1945 in Nnewi, Anambra State in Nigeria to James and Augusta Romaine. He was the middle son with two brothers and two sisters.

Okechukwu, known to most as “Okey”, came the United States in Fall of 1974 where he attended the University of New Mexico and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Education.  He went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Secondary and Adult Education.  Okey taught in the Albuquerque Public Schools and helped shape the lives of numerous middle and high school students.  He participated in various summer programs to provide children with an artistic outlet.

Okey was a kind, humble and gifted artist, who used his exceptional talent to teach, to provide for his family, and to create beautiful works using exotic woods from all over the world.  He was also a painter and a sculptor.

Okey had a good sense of humor and even greater sense of wisdom.  His words were introspective and fearless, and continually resonate with those he held conversations with. He enjoyed reading the Bible, and over the course of his life, he read the Bible several times in its entirety from beginning to end.

As a father, he was intentional and present during every day of his children’s lives.  As a grandfather, he was patient and learned as much from his grandchildren as he taught them.

Okey loved nature and took time to appreciate the many natural wonders of this world.  He will be missed but more importantly, he will be remembered by those whose lives he touched.

“Have no friend, be friend to all…”              Okey Romaine

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

Ecclesiates 3:1-4