One of Liberia’s Compassionate Personalities Has Left Us!
Tribute To: Sir Gardeah Jacob Myers
(Sir Knight, Knights of Columbus)
Mankind, down through the ages has cry for knowledge and more knowledge. Around us, everything is changing and nothing seems permanent and fixed. The mountains crumble away, the rivers dry up in the Sahara Desert, and cease to flow, islands sink and new seas are formed. The great oaks, in all their majesty must succumb to transition, to change, or death. Man goes on his way and crosses the borderline into the unknown and seems to end his existence in the twinkling of an eye. Is there any part of man, therefore, or any part of nature, that is immortal, unchanging permanent and conditional? Still, there was always the quest for knowledge and the desire for answers to problems unsolved. Why are we here? Who are we? Whence have we come? And where do we go? Is this personality of ours, this individuality which we strive to build up through idealism and the elimination of undesirable traits, merely a temporary or imaginary creation of us?
Sir Gardeah Jacob Myers was born on March 3rd, 1954, in the union of Myer Krangar and Nahnee Briggs, in LAC, District 2, GrandBassa County, Liberia. His transition/death took place at the Rhode Island Hospital, in Providence, on January 19th, 2023, around the hour of 10:25 AM.
Mr. Myers belonged to the African Catholic Community of Rhode Island, whose membership consists of worshippers from Nigeria, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Cape Verde, located at 99 Camp Street, in Providence. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus’, Mary Queen of Africa Council - the only completely African Knights Council in the United States. He was a Fourth Degree Holder, the highest degree in the Knights of Columbus. He was one of the former leaders, who served the Liberian Community Association with commitment and devotion, in Rhode Island.
Sir Gardeah Jacob Myers, was a man of Service
He worked in the medical field, at the Pawtucket Memorial Hospital for about 35 years, until his retirement in 2019. He serviced as a Phlebotomist. In the 1990s, he setup and operated a clinic in Monrovia, Liberia. The clinic is called Gate of Hope, operated in the Paynesville area. Liberians in the State of Rhode Island have lost one of their compassionate leaders. Brother Jacob Myers was a skilled and compassionate person.
One of his friends, in the person of Mr. Jerry Barcon, said upon his death: “Brother Bargblor, we have missed a good and friendly individual. He was always ready to give a helping hand to those in need of his assistance. Even in the 1990s, during the Liberian Civil War, those newly arrival Liberians here in Rhode Island, he provided for them temporary accommodations in some of his rental apartments; sometimes, free of charge.”
As a member of the African Catholic Community of Rhode Island, he gave freely to make financial contributions without hesitations towards worthy causes. He visited Liberian and other African communities in Rhode Island, to their homes, especially during their periods of bereavements. Sir Brother Knight, Jacob Myers, was indeed a man of Service. As you were award, the act of rendering services is a spiritual attribute. It is that inner desire of man to reach out, in order to fulfill the needs of others. Undoubtedly, Sir Brother Jacob Myers, will be greatly missed.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Beatrice Newberry-Myers and had nine children: Theresetta, Nahnee, AmbiliaHawa, Gardeah Jr., Fabia Evelyn, Nappaye, Terrance Jeffrey, and Myers-Myers (deceased).
His grandchildren included: Evita Campbell, Jayden King, Mia King, Camille Kaibiar, Rufus Aiden King, SiaPlynton Myers, Qash Jacob Hailey, DerickGardeahIdahosa, Qori-Rose Hailey, Stephen E. Idahosa, Jr., BlamoZinnah, Jr., Amber Sophia Zinnah, Grace Myers, Jerry Myers, and Rose Myers.
His siblings included: Mary Myers, J. McCant Hayes, Myeadeh Myers (deceased), Thumbo Myers (deceased) and his Aunts MadeaOkai and Annie Logan. He also leaves behind a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, and other relatives.
Sir Gardeah Jacob Myers
His Wake Keeping Ceremony will take place on Friday, February 3, 2023, between the hours of 6pm through 9pm, at the 99 Camp Street in Providence, Rhode Island 02906. The Funeral Service will take place on Saturday, February 4th., 2023, at 10:00am, also at the same venue (as the Wake Keeping).
Please permit me to close my Eulogy with the following Verse:
"Nature, it seems stands on its head
When you mourn the loss of a great man
Today we remember his life with us
The years of laughter and fun ,
We’re thinking of all the times that we shared
And though we are bowed with grief
Today we celebrate the great man we once had
Because it is our firm belief
That his life enriched us in so many ways
Brought sunshine and happiness into our days
And though we are heartbroken and very sad
Today we admit that we’re also glad
That we had him, if only for too short a while
Not yet but sometimes we’ll remember and smile."
MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PERFECT PEACE!
FAREWELL GREAT KNIGHT, SLEEP AND TAKE YOUR REST TILL WE MEET AGAIN.
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About the Author: Mr. Edmund Z. Bargblor knew the late Sir Knight Myers, since 1991. They were good friends, and belonged to Council 73, Knights of Columbus, Providence, Rhode Island. Mr. Bargblor is a former Deputy Managing Director of the National Port Authority of the Republic of Liberia. He is an Educator. He can be reached at edmundbargblor@aol.com