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Friends United
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January/February 2012
JEFFERSON Mary E. Jefferson, 88, October 29, 2011, Wabash Friends, Indiana. Mary was born in Virginia on November 16, 1922. She married Dean Jefferson. She was a factory worker at Honeywell Wabash and secretary at the vocational school. She was preceded in death by her husband and by a daughter, Sandra Hettmansberger, who passed away on December 26, 2008. Survivors include a son, Bill Jefferson; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Services were held November 1 at Falls Cemetery, Wabash, with David Phillips officiating.
MAKHINO Priscilla Nanyama Makhino, 66, October 31, 2011, Kenya. Mother Priscilla Nanyama Makhino was born on January 2, 1945, at Kibingei Village, in Bungoma County. She was the daughter of the late Hudson Barasa and late Perepeta Nakhanu. She was the third born among eight children. Priscilla went to Kibingei Primary School and later joined Teremi Intermediate School from 1959-63. She excelled and joined Teachers Training College in 1965-66. Mother Priscilla was employed as a teacher; she taught at Nzoia Primary School Springs (Bondeni) from 1967-94. She then resigned for the sake of doing the work of an evangelist in the Friends Church. She traveled to many countries like Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Britain and America doing God’s work as an evangelist of Jesus Christ. She held several positions in the Friends Church. Before her death, she was the chairlady of Friends Bible School Kitale and the pastor for Nzoia Monthly Meeting. Priscilla married Enock Sikuta Makhino in 1964; together they were blessed with 12 children — seven boys and five girls — and 24 grandchildren. She had also five sons-in-law and five daughters-in-law. On Sunday, October 30, 2011, Priscilla collapsed at the table while taking her breakfast at 9 a.m. She was rushed to Eldoret for treatment and the doctors diagnosed her with a stroke on the left side of the brain. She was hospitalized and on October 31 at 9:20 p.m., Mother Priscilla passed on. Dorothy Selebwa, Presiding Clerk USFW Kenya, shares on behalf of the women of Kenya: We the women of Kenya have learned of the passing on of our dear sister, friend and colleague, with deep sorrow. We have known Priscilla for a long time as a traveling minister. She gave her total life to the Lord as a living Sacrifice, as described in Romans 12:1. God called her and she responded positively, leaving her teaching career to serve him. Priscilla had a passion to reach the unreached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Unlike many people, Priscilla did all this without support from humans; she relied on God for provision to her travels. She traveled around the world preaching the Word of Peace, listening, healing and encouraging others. She solved many conflicts in the Friends Church. Priscilla was a powerful minister of the Word of God simply because she was prayerful. She set aside days to have quiet time with God. Whenever she encountered challenges she used to share with others in order to pray. I remember when she was involved in a bicycle accident she said to me, “Dorothy, this is nothing compared to what Jesus Christ went through,” and she laughed and said, “I think God wants me to slow down a bit.” During the split of the former East Africa Yearly Meeting, Priscilla and a few others took time to fast and pray for the reunion of the Church. It is out of these prayers that USFW Kenya was formed and together we have brought the Friends Church in Kenya where it is now. We thank God for the life of Priscilla and for the many gifts she had that helped many people. I am believing she has run her race and finished well, she kept her faith and now she is waiting for a crown of righteousness from her Creator. We, the women of Friends Church in Kenya pray for her soul to rest in eternal peace. May the Good Lord give strength to her family, relatives, friends and the Church at large. She leaves a challenge to all of us: “Who is ready to give his/her life to God the way she did?” May God bless us all as we wait upon his coming.
VROOMAN Phyllis Vrooman, 91, November 2, 2011, Wabash Friends, Indiana. Phyllis was born May 15, 1920, in Wabash, to Willard B. and Maizie Huddleston Sampson. She was a 1938 graduate of Wabash High School. She married Charles E. Vrooman on November 27, 1938, in Wabash; he died January 6, 2010. She was the secretary for Dr. Yoder in Wabash several years, and also worked for the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles in Wabash several years. Phyllis enjoyed oil painting, playing the organ, spending time on Sechrist Lake and wintering in Fort Myers, Florida. She is survived by two daughters, Sondra (Jerry) Hipsher and Susan (John) Ogan; four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a brother and two sisters. Graveside services and burial were at Memorial Lawns Cemetery, Wabash, on November 10, with David Phillips officiating. Preferred memorial is the Alzheimer’s Association.