Obituary Announcement:
Eunice Lubega Posnansky (76).
Born in Uganda, died with dignity at her home on October 4, following many years with Alzheimer’s.
In 1955, she was the first African woman to receive a degree at Makerere University in Uganda. After studying education at Oxford she taught in Uganda. In 1965, she became the first African President of the Uganda Association of University Women, and in 1965 Director of Women’s Education.
In Ghana in 1967 she took a degree in Library Studies and was Assistant Librarian at the University of Ghana.
In California from 1977 she worked in several UCLA libraries before teaching for the Los Angeles Unified School District until retirement in 1994.
Service at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 14646 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, California, 91408, October 18th (this Saturday), at 2:00pm.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Eunice Lubega Scholarship Society.
Eunice is deeply mourned by her husband Merrick (Professor Emeritus, UCLA), daughters (Sheba, Tessa and Helen), sons-in-law (Jonathon and Mark), grand-children (Malcolm & Maya), and many relatives and friends.
Expanded Biographical Information:
Eunice Sarah Lubega born in Ssingo in Uganda was a pioneer being among the first Uganda girls to attend both King’s College, Budo, and Makerere Univerity College. In 1955, she was the first woman to receive a degree from Makerere University College. And she later studied Education at Lady Margaret Hall College in Oxford. She returned to her Alma Mater Gayaza, to teach Luganda, Music, History and Geography.
Following her marriage in 1961 to Merrick Posnansky, the curator of the Uganda Museum, she worked at the Lubiri Secondary School before being appointed an Inspector of Education and in 1965 Director of Women’s Education. In 1964 and 1965 she represented Uganda at OAU conferences dealing with Human Rights and Women’s Education. She was elected President of the Uganda Association of University Women (UAUW) in 1963 and Chair of the Uganda Education Association in 1964. She served on the Board of Infitile Malnutrition committee in Uganda that was responsible for improving the diet of children in Uganda and in on the governing boards of many schools.
After moving to Ghana in 1967 Eunice obtained a degree in Library Studies and became an assistant librarian at the Balme Library of the University of Ghana, as well as serving on the Governing Council and tutor in Volta Hall. In 1977 settled with her family in Southern California taking a further degree in Social Studies at California State University, Northridge. She was active in Ugandan communal affairs until the mid 1980’s as well as hosting meetings for political visitors from Uganda. (Eunice continued to work quietly behind the scenes, opening doors as many an sung heroine do.)
Eunice was a keen was a keen gardener delighting in grown the plants familiar to her in Uganda. She introduced matoke in Ghana and the small sweet ndizi banana into california and was particularly proud of her passion fruit, which still flourish well. Eunice was an enthusiastic dressmaker, an innovative cook and loved music from her time at school, especially as an original member of Budo’s Nightingales. She was interested in African politics and fond of travel. She was diagnosed with Alzerheimer’s disease in 1994, an affliction she faced with dignity and a quiet resolve.
Eunice Lubega Scholarship Fund
This fund, administered by the Uganda Association of Uganda Women was established in 200 in honor of Eunice its first Ugandan President. Its purpose is to provide full scholarships for girls in financial need from the Nalinnya Lwantale Junior Secondary School who have been accepted for senior secondary education at Gayaza High School, the oldest and one of the leading secondary boarding schools in Uganda. Eunice herself attended both Ndejje (now Nalinnya Lwantale) and Gayaza, schools that provided the foundation for her own ultimate career in African Education.
The endowment fund yields an annual interest that pays for the fees and living expenses of at least one new student a year for the full three year Senior Secondary course. The annual cost per student is presently around USA $700.
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