JOSEPHINE LAKOR September 4, 2021

Josephine (Josie) Abum Lakor

Sunrise: 26/12/1948

Sunset: 04/08/2021
Josephine was the 9th child of the Late Erisa Lakor of Patiko Panyagira and Mego Jojina Angom Lakor of Alokolum. She was born in Gulu Hospital, Northern Uganda and spent her formative years in Gulu Primary in Mican where for many years, her father, the Late Erisa Lakor was headmaster of the nearby Gulu High School.

Josephine subsequently went to St Monica’s Junior Secondary School up to Senior 4 in 1963, before commencing on a Midwifery course at Gulu Hospital. She did not like it much.

She soon moved to Kampala to join an international hotel to complete another course, this time in House Keeping and Hotel Management. She had finally found her passion! This was to be her lifelong occupation from which she retired in later years. While in Uganda, Josephine began her working life in the hotel industry at various establishments, such as at Paraa Safari Lodge in Murchison National Park in Masindi, Uganda and others.

This was the era when Uganda was in civil unrest. As with many others, Josephine escaped the Amin regime in 1973 to settle in Mombasa, Kenya and there continued to work in the hotel industry for several years, firstly in Lawfords, Malindi, Mombasa and on promotion, she moved to Bamburi Apartments on Bamburi Beach as a manager.

When Josephine did return to Uganda, it was to open a retail business which flourished in a place known as Middle East in Bugolobi, in a suburb of Uganda’s capital city Kampala. She was a well-known figure in that community, and many people know her from this era.
Meanwhile, Northern Ugandan remained embroiled in war conditions, and it was impossible to settle in such a place. Instead, Josephine seized an opportunity to resettle in the UK, where she quickly found her place in catering and hospitality positions at various institutions culminating latterly at the Salvation Army from which she did retire in 2013 after many years of service.

A personal statement from work records her ethics and drive for excellency in service. She writes, ‘I am an organised, hardworking and reliable person with a sense of humour’. This also gives an insight of the woman we all know as sister, aunty, mother, grandmother, colleague, and neighbour.

Josie as she was fondly known to many was also a committed Christian and attended St John’s church in Stratford Broadway with the Luo Christian Fellowship, and the Salvation Army in Ilford as well as other congregations over the many years in London. An insight into Josie’s commitment to her Lord is exemplified by this question that asked, ‘what gives me the greatest sense of satisfaction and fulfilment?’, to which she answered: ‘How the Lord is looking after me always’.

She was a giver, and never without a gift towards the Lord’s work when she attended a Christian gathering and generous to family and friends with her resources. Her birthday on the 26th of December was a family fixture where family members would gather at her home to celebrate and be educated on the merits of nutrition and good health!

Josephine became unwell in recent years and although she would recover but would also deteriorate intermittently. She was finally admitted at St Mary’s Hospital London UK where she failed to recover from the catastrophic effects of a stroke and died on the 4th of August 2021. Josephine is survived by her daughter Sally and grandson Paul. She was also a sister, aunty, and friend.

The family are repatriating the body of Josephine following the church service, to the their home in Gulu, Northern Uganda, where she will be buried this Saturday next to her beloved late mother and siblings.

Finally, we the family wish to convey our gratitude to our relatives, friends, and the wider Acholi community, and the Acholi Community Link leadership, for their words of comfort, encouragement, and support to Sally and the wider family.
May the Lord truly bless, protect and show you mercy in the day of trouble.
To God be the glory. Amen
RIP Mego Josephine Abum Lakor

Vigil will be held at their home in Gulu City, Kirombe Village on Friday 03^rdSeptember, 2021.

Burial will take place at their ancestral home in Gulu City, Kirombe Village on Saturday 04^th September, 2021.

The burial will be in accordance with current burial guidelines and restrictions.

Informed are: Relatives, Friends and In-laws.