Sarah Cynthia Kukuorkor Mills Okaikoi's Obituary
It is with great sadness that the family of Sarah Cynthia Kukuorkor Mills Okaikoi announce her passing from this life into eternal life and the celebration of an elegant and trailblazing woman who inspired and helped so many.
Sarah Mills Okaikoi (lovingly called "Manye") was born on January 29, 1940 in Jamestown, Accra, Ghana and was the beloved daughter of the late Diana Lamiley Mills, one of three of the first trained nurses in the Republic of Ghana and herself, the daughter of the first black Mayor of Accra and founder of Accra Royal Schools, Joseph Odartey Blankson Mills; and Sarah's father was the late Nathaniel Okaikoi, former Principal Personnel Officer of the Ministry of Works and Housing, Grand Master of the Freemasons, Accra, and a direct descendant of the Gadangme royal family of Queen Dode Akaabi and her son King Okaikoi.
Sarah Mills Okaikoi (80 years) departed this life on Earth on June 27, 2020, in Hackensack, New Jersey, USA, to be with the Lord Jesus Christ in heavenly glory. She will be laid to rest on July 25, 2020 with graceful and official Episcopalian burial rites in a private service in Westchester
County, NY.
As a child, Sarah Mills Okaikoi was known among her teachers and classmates as a natural leader and a brilliant and tenacious student. She attended St. Mary’s Senior High School in Korle Gonno, Ghana (Class of 1960) and after graduating from St. Mary’s, relocated to the United
Kingdom to study culinary arts in London. Whilst studying in London, as a hobby, Sarah became a photography model and graced the cover of the popular magazine, Flamingo, and the picture “Flamingo cover girl Sarah with friend, London” can be found in a permanent collection at the
Tate Museum, Britain. In addition, two wonderful photographs of Sarah Mills Okaikoi were recently featured in a 2018 Le Monde article, “James Barnor, le Swinging London en Noirs et Blancs.”
During her school days, Sarah met her former husband, Dr. Clarence Oteng Addo-Yobo, whom she married and they relocated to New York City during his medical residency at Columbia University Medical School and Harlem Hospital. They were blessed with three children, Mercy, Seth, and Cynthia who they raised in Hartsdale, Westchester County, New York. In addition to caring for her family, Sarah was known as a “Community Mother,” affectionately called “Auntie Sarah” and often opened up her home for nieces, nephews, and godchildren to help them on their educational and career paths.
Being extremely self-motivated and coming from a family with highly-entrenched educational values, Sarah Mills Okaikoi desired to further her education and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Dietetics, Foods, and Nutrition at Lehman College, City University of New York (Class of 1983) and earned her Master of Science Degree in Nutrition at New York Medical College, Valhalla (Class of 1987). Having returned to school to earn her degree, whilst juggling work and raising her three children, Sarah served as a great inspiration for many women within her community, her generation and beyond.
Sarah Mills Okaikoi was a licensed New York State Dietitian/Nutritionist (CDN) and greatly enjoyed her work to help the elderly and disabled children to live healthier lives. She worked at White Plains Hospital and Kings Harbor Multicare Center as a dietitian in her early career days.
She also worked as a consultant for The Arc Westchester (WARC) and Hebrew Hospital, and dedicated most of her career as the lead dietician in charge of disabled children at Richmond Community Services’ Children’s Center in Yonkers, New York.
Sarah Mills Okaikoi was a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association), the Greater New York Dietetics Association, and the Westchester Rockland Dietetic Association. She retired in 2007 but continued her career by providing nutritional education and consulting to individuals and organizations and in 2018, she
had her first podcast interview to discuss nutrition on “The Sis Arafua/Nii Bonso III Show” on Ghana’s radio station, FM 107.5.
Sarah Mills Okaikoi lived a life of service and was active in several civic and community service organizations. Sarah was a devoted and active member of Christ the Church Bible Study Group in Ghana. When she lived in Westchester, NY, she attended her beloved Grace Episcopal Church for several decades and had served as a member of the Vestry, Fundraising Committee, and Hospitality Committee.
She was also a proud and active member of her alma mater, St. Mary’s Senior High School alumni association called” St. Mary's Old Girls Association” and consistently donated books for the school’s library. In her 70’s, she established an informal charitable group called “Acts of
Kindness,” to support disenfranchised young single mothers in Ghana. She successfully helped to fundraise for and launch The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Trust Fund, to help fund emergency projects at Ghana’s major teaching hospital and medical school. Sarah also helped lead her
ethnic community; the Gadangme people, to incorporate their voices and represent their needs in The Marine Drive Tourism Investment Project; a large environmental and socio-economic government project on the Ghana coastland in the Gadangme lands.
Sarah actively supported organizations such as the Pan African Development Organization, The African Burial Ground in New York City, the Haitian/African Committee on HIV/AIDS issues, and shared information with pan-African communities as a Hostess of “Africvision” a program on community TV filmed at Medgar Evers College, Brooklyn, New York in the 1980s. Ghana was her beloved mother country and although she spent decades abroad, she was committed to bringing the Ghanaian community together globally, across the United States, and locally in New York. As a result, she became the Chairperson of The Gadangme Kpee, serving as the 1st female to hold the rank in the New York Tri-State area and the Vice Chairperson of Gadangme International; she was also the 1st female to hold the rank in the United States. Sarah Mills Okaikoi was also an active member of National Council of Ghanaian Associations for over two decades, serving as Public Relations Officer, Chairperson for the Youth Group and was among those who initiated its successful SAT program; Chairperson of the Entertainment Committee; a member of Fundraising Committee; a member of the Health Fair Committee; and various Task Forces. Sarah Mills Okaikoi was a seasoned organizer with natural leadership qualities and often served as the master of ceremonies for receptions, notably with presidents of The Republic of Ghana in the New York area, during the annual United Nations General Assembly, and for Ghana Independence Day celebrations.
A believer in supporting public servants that promote freedom, development, and the advancement of people, Sarah Mills Okaikoi was an active supporter and champion of her friend, John Atta Mills’ campaigns for Ghana president, which he won to then become the President of Ghana on January 2009. In addition, she lent her influence to galvanize support for the appointment of Hon. Alfred Oko Vanderpuije as the Mayor of Accra, who served from 2009 to 2016.
Sarah’s passions were God, church, her family, and being of service to her community. She also greatly enjoyed traveling; cooking for and entertaining friends and good conversation. Sarah enjoyed listening to music for relaxation; politics; watching documentaries on CNN, C-Span,
and the History Channel; watching and laughing to comedies; reading magazines including “The Daily Word;” crossword puzzles; sewing; and exercising.
Sarah Mills Okaikoi is survived by her children, Dr. Mercy Amua Quarshie of Keller, Texas, Seth Addo-Yobo, Esq. of Nutley, NJ, Cynthia S. Nana-Oye Addo-Yobo of Larchmont, NY; three grandchildren; former husband, Dr. Clarence O. Addo-Yobo of Obosomase, Ghana; sisters, Naomi Mills Okaikoi Maclean and Linda Mills Ammah of London, Great Britain; a brother, Joseph
Mills Okaikoi of Tema, Ghana; and many loving nieces, nephews, friends and relatives that span across the globe in the hundreds.
Funeral services are closed and private and will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2020 in Westchester County, New York. Formal Memorial Services to celebrate the life of Sarah Mills Okaikoi will be held in New York, USA and Accra, Ghana in the future and will be open to family and friends. To leave a message of condolences and share memories and photographs, please
visit: Everloved.com/Life-of/Sarah-Mills-Okaikoi.
"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." - Revelation 21:4
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In send messages of condolences or a memorial gift to the family of Sarah Cynthia Kukuorkor Mills Okaikoi, please visit the dedicated memorial site: Everloved.com/Life-of/Sarah-Mills-Okaikoi
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