Jane Nagenda was born on 9th July 1949 in Kampala. She was the forth of six children born to the late William and Sala Nagenda of Namutamba, Mityana who were esteemed leaders of the East African Revival Movement which sought to renew the Church in East Africa during the late 30s. Jane’s paternal grandfather, Festo Mukasa Manyangenda was a co Regent of Buganda appointed by Kabaka Mutesa II. Her maternal grandfather Erasto Bakaluba was a teacher at King’s college Budo and a magistrate in the court of Kabaka Mutesa II.
In 1954 she began her primary school at Gayaza High School. She left in 1964 to attend the Eastern Mennonite College Harrisonburg in Virginia USA where she completed her high school studies in 1966. She then attended the New York Business College where she completed her studies in Secretarial Administration. Shortly after this Jane joined Pan Am as one of the few black flight attendants in that world renown airline. Jane loved fashion and music in her youth and often did modelling in her spare time. Alongside her cousin Katiti Kironde who became the first black model on one of the leading magazine covers, Jane pioneered.
In 1970 Jane was married to Rolf Korte, at the Anglican Church in Whitney, Oxford. Soon after their wedding, Rolf and Jane moved back to Africa when Rolf took up an appointment for the Karl Kubel Stiftung Foundation for Children and Families in Musoma Tanzania, where Jane also took up employment as a secretary. They welcomed twins Gisela and Marion in 1972. Salongo and Nalongo Korte were to work in a number of countries including Fiji and Papua New Guinea where Rolf was stationed in various roles. In Papua New Guinea Jane also served as an assistant in the office of the Prime Minister for 4 years. Jane finally settled in Frankfurt, Germany in 1980 where she remained until her untimely death in 2021.
Jane was devoted to her family and was always there to lend a hand and support in whatever way she could. It was she who jumped on flights to take care of sick siblings, nieces, nephews, children and grandchildren. She was an integral part of her former husband Rolf’s family including his wife Susan, and children Cindy and Robert. Susan and Jane became close friends and all became part of a very close knit and loving blended family. Jane became a friend and also close confidant to her numerous nieces and nephews in different parts of the world. She loved fashion, music and reading books which she spent hours reading. She also became a keen writer but never published any of her work. Always passionately seeking to help others, Jane worked as a volunteer at the Jewish hospital as well as assisting the homeless in a small town outside of Frankfurt called Wiesbaden for many years.
Jane is survived by her children Gisela and Marion, her 4 grandchildren, her elder brother Stephen and sister Ruth, and numerous nieces and nephews. Susan, Rolf, Cindy and her family as well as Robert.
Burial will take place at their ancestral home Namutamba- Mityana on Saturday, 8th July 2023 at 2:00pm.
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