Charlotte Ojumerie Susan Zane

Charlotte Oju Service of Thanksgiving (Home Going No Tears)

Charlotte Ojumerie Susan Zane was born on the first of January 1930. She was the third child of the late Johnny William Wray and Naomie Adela Wray of 19 George Street East which is now known as Mammy Yoko Street in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

She attended St. Philips Primary School, Patton Street, and the Girls Industrial Pademba Road in the central part of the town. After leaving school, she taught for a short period of time at the East End Day School, situated at Dan Street, a private school owned by a Rev. Turner.

It was at this time that Oju met Mr. Pharoah Zane who was on leave from the Congo. They were married in 1948 at St. Philips Church Patton Street, Freetown, Sierra Leone. They proceeded to the Congo where they worked for ten years. This union was blessed with five children of which three have preceded her.

She returned from the Congo in 1962 and started working as Assistant Matron at the Freetown Secondary School for Girls, Brookfields for 2 years. After leaving FSSG, she started working at Fourah Bay College as an Assistant Manageress at the guest house until her retirement in 1964.

She was a member of the Circuit Local Preachers Ebenezer. After being made a full and accredited local preacher, she then became a member of the Local Preacher Mutual Aid Association in Freetown, Sierra Leone. It was at this period that she entered the Freetown Theological College Bishops Court, Fourah Bay Road, as a lay worker of Ebenezer Church in 1985. She was afforded a scholarship by the Methodist Church Sierra Leone for pastoral studies.

After studying for a year in Britain, she came back to Sierra Leone in 1986 as a full-time pastoral worker for the Methodist church and circuit, which was Ebenezer Circuit Regent Road, Freetown. Visiting the sick and disabled members of the church, it was at this time that she was given dispensation to administer the Holy Communion by the Sierra Leone Methodist Church of Sierra Leone.

She then proceeded to care for her grandniece’s son in London for a period of time. She went back to Sierra Leone to care for her grandchildren whose parents were abroad. During this period, as she awaited her journey to the USA, she witnessed the war in Sierra Leone. In September of 2000, she traveled to the USA, lived in Virginia, Texas, and finally in Maryland, where she became a member of the Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Bryans Road, MD under the Pastorship of Rev. Christopher Ogne who administered monthly Communion to Charlotte when she became homebound, up to a week Oju passed to Glory to meet the Lord.

Charlotte Ojumerie Susan Zane is survived two biological daughters, Mary Adela Mansaray, and Hamzatu Attiatu Dora Deen, an adopted daughter, Peninnah Myrtil. Two sons in – law Alpha Yayah Mansaray and Mohammed Saifu Deen. Several nieces including Amba, Gladys, Creenough,, Audrey, Frances, Marion, Funkeh, Ayonie and several others. Lots of nephews including Esseh, Ekundayo, Femi, Christian, and many others. Nine grandchildren, Sylvia, Raymond, Victor, Safie, Iye, Mohammed, Yalamba, Yokuba, and Nancy. Five great grandchildren, Zahara, Syrus, Simon, Raymond Junior, and Samara. Several other children for which mama Oju to special care.

Lots of special friends and family back home in Sierra Leone and all over the world. The Wray, Harding, William, Roberts, Jonnah, Strasser-King, Benjamine, Robin-Coker, George, James, Smith, Mansaray and Deen.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday, June 9, 2023 from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM.  The funeral will be Saturday, June 10, 2023 at Lutheran Church of Savior in Bryans Road, Maryland.  The family will receive friends at 9:00 AM until time of funeral service at 10 AM.  Burial Heritage Memorial Cemetery; Waldorf, Maryland.

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