In Loving Memory Of Mrs Linda Delali Akosua Kwawu Anan
1967 – 2020
The Kwawu, Opoku and Anan families announce with a heavy heart, the abrupt exit of our daughter, wife, mother, and sibling on 7th April, 2020.
In these uncertain times, we are unable to gather to Celebrate Linda’s life, so we will be live streaming the pre-burial and burial events via YouTube on 11th May 2020.
Please visit https://bit.ly/3b7aYMy on 11th May 2020 for the feed.
Pre-burial service 11th May 2020 at Accra, Ghana 12:00pm – 1:00pm GMT 1:00pm – 2:00pm BST By invitation only
Burial service 11th May 2020 at Romford, Essex United Kingdom 2:00pm – 2:30pm BST 1:00pm – 1:30pm GMT By invitation only
Biography
Linda was born in Accra on 22nd October 1967, to the lovely parents Mrs. Esther Violet Kwawu of Peki-Djake, and the Late Mr. Fred Emmanuel Kwawu of Gbadzeme, both from the Volta Region. She was nicknamed ‘AFRO’ LINDA because she liked the finer things in life and loved to dress up.
Education And Family Life
She started her early education in Ghana at Association International School, then to Lewis Adams Elementary School, Tuskegee, Alabama, USA with her family in 1974 and back to Ghana to finish up. At a young age, she loved to sing and joined the church choir in Sparks, Nevada.
She was admitted to Achimota Secondary School (Motown) into Slessor House, graduating with the ’85 class. Linda left to the United Kingdom in 1986 to pursue her calling – beauty therapy at London School of Hairdressing (1987), Joan Price’s Face Place Beauty School (1990) and attended many leading edge practitioner courses throughout her career. She also obtained her Certificate of Education from the University of East London.
Linda married on 1st June 1992 to the Rev Dr Gabriel J Anan, a Church of England clergy man, author, financial consultant and youth advisor. The union was blessed with the beautiful and innovative daughter Adom, her best pal.
Linda’s siblings, Charles, Franklin, Jackie, Elaine and Hilary formed a close-knit bunch together with the other 2nd generation cousins.
Working For God And Beauty Care
Afro Linda had a stellar career as a Practitioner, Educator and Entrepreneur.
BEAUTY PRACTITIONER
She was so fantastic at her craft that she was head-hunted from college by 21st Century Beauty and Health Club, Knightsbridge. She joined Essanelle, a salon in House of Fraser, Oxford Street as an assistant manager in May 1990. She moved to Regis and managed the Harrow Branch within Debehams, in 1996. In less than a year, she went on to manage the flagship West End Salons, Regis Oxford Street, and Regis Dickens & Jones in House of Fraser, Regent Street (2001-06). Here she made lifelong friendships with many including celebrities. She ended her practice at Virgin Active Holmes Place Health Club in 2007.
BEAUTY Coach
To spend time with her daughter Adom and support her husband’s pastoral ministry, Linda replaced the high profile, fast paced work life with a more rewarding teaching career. A few of the schools she lectured include Redbridge College and Ilford Skills Academy (2007-17), Waltham Forest College (2017-20), and most recently City of Islington College (March 2020).
She said of her students “It’s such a joy to teach as most of them really wanted to learn.” Facebook post, Linda 2017.
BEAUTY ENTREPRENEUR
Together with Adom and her sister Elaine, Linda launched a range of hair and skincare products under the brand name – Source Naturelle UK beauty Products. This business is underpinned by strong Christian values and deft social marketing.
Lifelong Evangelist
Linda was brought up by a mother who values and practices the doctrines of the bible. She worked alongside and supported her husband throughout his pastoral career in the Church of England – Organising, leading, Innovating, building, collaborating, outreaching, she worked tirelessly.
Linda remarked about one of such intervention – “Victory! We made history with the help of God. After 1 year of toiling, I managed to get a projector screen installed in a listed building of 100 years old, St. Georges & Ethelbert Church-East Ham.”
Upon her husband retiring from the Church of England, Linda joined the Lighthouse International Church – Mustard Seed Chapel. She worked with the music ministry as a soloist, media team handling the internal digital communication, a Shepherd nurturing other souls, and took part in many outreach programmes among other things. Church brethren refer to her with words like – committed, diligent, hard-working, involving, fun, gets things done…
Awesome Personality
She was brilliantly likable and infectious – Edem, a sister, and church mate sums it up “Till date, it’s just like a dream because her beautiful singing voice still lingers in our ears, her hearty laughter still radiates in our ears, her sweet personality still reflect through our minds.”
Linda was gorgeous, jovial, helpful, selfless, extremely generous, affable, always laughing, kind, loving and God-fearing person.
She will be missed but we have fond memories and find consolation from the scripture:
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8