Death strikes the Cameroon Province of TSSF once again

By Jude Abanseka

The Provincial Superior of the Tertiary Sisters of Saint Francis (TSSF) announces with deep sorrow, the sudden death of 74 year old Sr. Thea Fonyuy the Matron of the Holy Family Catholic Health Centre. She died of heart attack while in active service in the morning of September 2, 2019, shortly after starting her duty shift for the day.

Sr. Thea did not present any physical/visible signs of ill-health. However she told one of the nurses she was not feeling well though she could not really describe how she felt. Thinking she could be suffering from fatigue, the nurse gave her a cube of sugar to chew, which she did and then continued her duty. It was not long before another nurse ran out announcing that Sr. Thea had had a malaise.

Sr. Thea Fonyuy on the day of her golden Jubilee celebration

One of the priests at Djottin Parish was immediately rushed for. He arrived when Sr. Thea was already gasping for air. She breathed her last as soon as she was anointed and on the spot, a requiem Mass was celebrated for her. Her mortal remains was ferried to the Shisong General Hospital mortuary awaiting funeral arrangements. 

   

Sr. Thea Fonyuy is the second TSSF of the Cameroon Province to have passed on to glory in just one month. On July 20, Sr. Marie-Therese Diang died after a protracted illness and was laid to rest on August 8.

Sr. Thea Fonyuy was born to Pa Michael Binbin and Mama Hortensia Kongla (all of blessed memory) in 1945 in Shisong-Nso, Bui Division of the North West Region. She was the first of five children (with three of her siblings already departed, Sr. Thea leaves behind one surviving sister who was the last in the family). She did primary education in Sacred Heart Shisong and some years later in 1969, she got admitted into the TSSF convent in Shisong where she was formed as a nun. She later undertook professional training in the Shisong Catholic School of Health Sciences as Nurse/Midwife and leadership, reason why she has mostly served as matron. After many years of service, she went for further training in the United Kingdom before returning home.  

Sr. Thea Fonyuy has served in the following places:

·        St Elizabeth Catholic General Hospital, Shisong

·        St Pius Health Centre, Tatum

·        St. Martin de Porres Catholic General Hospital, Njinikom

·        St. Martin de Porres Catholic Health Centre, Wum

·        St. Padre Pio Hospital, Douala and

·        Holy Family Catholic Health Centre, Djottin, since 2014.

In July 2019, Sr. Thea Fonyuy and her mates celebrated their Golden Jubilee (50^th anniversary) since joining the TSSF.   

In a chat with the Communication Officer of TSSF’s Health Services, Sr. Appolonia Budzee, she said the fallen nun was outspoken and was appreciated for her high alertness in nursing care and dedication. In effect she was very pragmatic, Sr. Budzee added.