Mary Brookman Otoo

  
MARY BROOKMAN OTOO  
Mary Phillipa Ewuraba Brookman Otoo née Brookman-Amissah passed peacefully in her sleep on January 24, 2014 after an illness. Mary was born in Akim Oda on July 24, 1930 in the then British colony of the Gold Coast. She was part of the inaugural class of Holy Child Catholic Teacher Training College and Secondary School for Girls, and earned her Cambridge School Certificate in 1949 and Teacher Certificate in 1952. Mary married the late Eric Kwamina Otoo in 1956 and, two years later, they began a diplomatic career together for the newly independent Republic of Ghana that would span over thirty years and included assignments to Liberia; the United Nations; Kenya, Botswana and Lesotho; West Germany; and the United States, US Virgin Islands, Mexico, Belize, and St. Kitts and Nevis. Mary was a devout Catholic, and active in the church and in charitable works wherever she lived. Between the foreign postings, she always pursued her vocation as an educator in Ghana, and worked as a teacher at Christ the King Catholic School, and as Headmistress of Achimota Preparatory School. In 1977, she founded the Maria Immaculata Day Care Center for low-income children in Accra, which is still flourishing today. Mary was preceded in death by her husband of 48 years, H.E. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Eric Kwamina Otoo; her daughter, Dr. Elizabeth Otoo-Forbes; and her granddaughter, Asantewa Eliza-Beatrix Darfoor. She is survived by her sisters, Mrs. Josephine Maria Andoh and Mrs. Elizabeth Laast Coussey; her sons, Dr. Samuel Kwamena Otoo and Eric Kwamina Otoo Jnr; her daughter Mina Sylvia Otoo Darfoor; her stepson, Dr. Emmanuel Kweku Otoo; her daughters-in-law Dr. Maria Ward Otoo and Angelika Paas-Otoo; seven grandchildren; and numerous other cherished family members and friends around the world. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2 p.m. on February 22, 2014 at the Church of the Annunciation, 3810 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20016. Interment will follow at St. Rose of Lima Church Cemetery, 11701 Clopper Rd., Gaithersburg, MD 20878. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Mary's name to the Catholic Relief Services or the American Can-cer Society. Please sign the family guestbook at www.devolfuneralhome.com