Obituary of Kwabena Alex Boakye Yiadom

Kwabena Alex Boakye Yiadom was born on January 13, 1948 in Ashanti New Town, Kumasi, Ghana to his father, Opoku Fofie, and his mother, Maame Atta Yaa Amankwah. His family is of the Ashanti people and from Bokankye and Offinso outside the city of Kumasi. As a young boy he was known for his sharp mind and ambition. Alex’s drive carried him along a path of progress and leadership development in Ghana that included being one of the executives of the Young Catholic Students Association. He began his college career at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), in Kumasi Ghana, from 1972-1973 and was one of the pioneer students in a newly created Geodetic Engineering program. However, in 1973 Alex left for Canada after he gained admission to the University of Waterloo in Ontario. Before leaving the shores of Ghana in 1973, Alex married Nana Ama Ekyia Dwaben Serwah Prempeh and a year later had their first son, Kwabena Poku Agyeman Boakye Yiadom. Shortly afterwards Nana Ama joined Alex in Canada where they had their second child, Maame Yaa Amankwah Boakye Yiadom. With the support of family and assistance from the St. Michael’s Catholic Church, in Waterloo Canada, he graduated in 1976.

After his schooling, Alex and Nana Ama traveled to the United States and made a home in Virginia in 1979. He took an entry-level job as Assistant Manager with Kmart Corporation’s department stores. He took advantage of promotional opportunities which took the family to several cities including Richmond, Virginia, Newport News Virginia, Indiana Pennsylvania, Pleasantville New Jersey, Somers Point New Jersey, and then to Philadelphia Pennsylvania. They had two additional boys, Kwabena Owusu Ansa Boakye Yiadom and Kweku Osei Assibey Boakye Yiadom, along the way. The family settled in Philadelphia for 8 years, where he continued a series of promotions within the city. In 1993 the family moved to Glassboro New Jersey. During this time, he explored new opportunities with Kmart’s wholesale warehouse company Pace, before coming back to Kmart in Glassboro, New Jersey. He was later promoted to General Store Manager at the Pennsauken, New Jersey Kmart where he worked for a while before taking a new position with Walmart.

After retirement he made a career change to teach in both South Jersey and Philadelphia, and started an African art work business. In his final years he was an actively engaged member of the African Association of Catholic Churches, worked to be a source of motivation to others through inspirational Facebook posts, taught English to recent immigrants, and volunteered within his community. He, unfortunately, experienced a second bout of cancer, which he was battling at the time of his death from a stroke on December 12, 2020.

Alex is survived by his brother (Antobre), his four children: Dr. Kwabena Poku Agyeman Boakye Yiadom (Kay), Dr. Maame Yaa Amankwah Boakye Yiadom (Maya), Mr. Kwabena Owusu Ansa Boakye Yiadom (Ansa), and Mr. Kweku Osei Assibey Boakye Yiadom(Osei); eight grandchildren: Nana Akuba Agyeman Boakye Yiadom (Kuba), OluBanke Agyeman Boakye Yiadom (Banke), Marialex Viola Van Cleave (Mari), Jasmine Ama Boakye Yiadom Van Cleave (Jazzy), Victoria Casandra Van Cleave (Vico), Kodjo Josiah Elias Boakye Yiadom (Josiah), Kwabena Solomon Matthias Boakye Yiadom (Solomon) and Yaa Candace Naomi Boakye Yiadom (Yaa Candace), one son-in-law Ryan Van Cleave, and three daughters-in-law: Barbara Evelyn Yiadom, Kelly Elaine Hines Boakye Yiadom, and Mpepera Simango-Yiadom. He left his family a legacy of ambition, pursuit of education, and commitment to communities of faith.

Farewell Tribute

Due to the National Health Crisis, the family encourages you to join them virtually for all of the services celebrating the life of Kwabena Alex Boakye Yiadom. Links and times are provided below:

 

 “Alex Boakye Yiadom's Celebration of Life”

 Saturday, January 2, 2021

12:00 - 2:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Click HERE

 

 

"Words of Remembrance"

Saturday, January 16, 2021

~10:00 - 10:30 AM Eastern Standard Time  (4:00 pm-4:30 pm GMT)

Click HERE

 

"Mass of Christian Burial"

Saturday, January 16, 2021

~11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Eastern Standard Time (5:30 - 6:00 PM GMT)

Click HERE

or the church livestream

click HERE

 

"Burial"

Saturday, January 16, 2021

~1:00 - 1:30 PM Eastern Standard Time (7:00 - 7:30 PM GMT)

Click HERE

 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Alex's (Alex B. Yiadom) name to one of two foundations close to his heart, 1) Prostate Cancer Foundation, click HERE to donate, 2) America Needs Fatima, click HERE  to donate.

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