Christina Biedi Kpabar Paelay

June 16, 1951 - July 25, 2020

It is with extremely heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, sister, grandmother, and aunt, Christina Biedi Kpabar Paelay. Christina passed away peacefully at her home in Paynesville, Liberia on Saturday, July 25, 2020. Although, the Paelay, Kpabar, Sammy and Caesar families are devasted by the loss of our loving Christina, we are comforted by her legacy of joy, love and courage that she left with us, her friends and those she encountered throughout her life.

Christina was born on June 16, 1951 in Monrovia, Liberia, to her parents Wilfred Kpabar and Etta Caesar Kpabar, who predeceased her. She grew up in a large, loving family with six sisters and five brothers (Maggie, Rose, Mary, Winifred, Ciania, Comfort, Kortue, Benjamin, Joseph, Zayzay, Gebgee). She attended high school at College of West Africa (CWA), earned a Bachelor of Business Accounting & Administration from the University of Liberia and a Master of Business Administration in Accounting from Adelphi University in New York. Christina was driven and worked hard to have successful careers in both Liberia and the U.S., holding positions as Director, Comptroller, Accountant and Consultant. Throughout her career, she worked at Bong County Agricultural Development Project (Liberia), Telecom (Liberia), the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (Liberia), Insynch Corporation (U.S.), Transwestern Carey Winston (U.S.), First Washington Reality (U.S.), Howard University Hospital (U.S.), Mills Corporation (U.S.), Ministry of Finance (Liberia) and the National Port of Authority (Liberia). Christina was also an Entrepreneur. She turned her passion for flowers and plants into businesses in both Liberia and the U.S. She owned and operated a silk flower shop, Dehkonti Silks and Things in the U.S. (1990 to 1996) and continued to operate a flower and plant farm in Liberia until her passing.

Christina had many titles but two of her most cherished were that of mother and grandmother. Christina and Pele Paelay had four children Hyenneh, Dehkonti, Pele B. and Tinisi. She also had three chosen daughters Dalasue, Renolia Gbee and Faatimah (Fatu) and three grandchildren, Corey, Christopher and Mercy. Christina was a loving, adoring, fun, giving, tough and proud mother. She sacrificed for her children and poured everything she had into them. She gave them the freedom to make their own choices in life, advised and taught them lessons to strengthen them and was there to nurture them through challenging and happy times. Christina planted special seeds in each of them that will continue to bloom well into the future.

Christina was a faithful, spiritual, strong willed and loving woman which helped her persevere through life. She was driven and worked hard to achieve but was even more generous with her love, time, advice, friendship, laugher and jokes. Christina enjoyed many things in life, but her joy and passion for plants and flowers were immense. She enjoyed spending time with her plants and flowers in both her home garden and farm where she created some of the most elegant and beautiful flora arrangements. In any manner you knew Christina (Mommy, Grandma, Sister (Sis), Aunty Tini, Chris, CKP, Friend, God-sister, Comptroller, Minister, Madam Paelay, Co-worker, Advisor, Mentor or Lover of Flowers and Plants) her physical presence will be tremendously missed. She is survived by her children Hyenneh Moulton, Dehkonti Paelay, Pele B. Paelay and his wife Kelly, Tinisi Paelay and his partner Kathi, her chosen daughters Dalasue Brumskine and her husband Nat, Renolia Gbee Roberts-Dixon and her husband Solomon and Faatimah (Fatu) Ahmed Sherrif, grandchildren, Corey Outland, Christopher Outland and Mercy Outland, sisters Rose Giddens, Winifred Zogbo Bolton, Mary Sevele, and Comfort Moore and her husband Walter and brothers Kortue Sammy and Zayzay Kpabar. She is also survived by several nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, cousins, God-sister and several close friends. Christina was preceded in death by her parents, Wilfred Kpabar and Etta Caesar Kpabar, her sisters Maggie Brent Jackson and Ciania Genevieve Brownwell and her brothers Benjamin Kpabar, Joseph Kpabar and Gebgee Kpabar.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, August 9, 2020 in Liberia.