Fethawit K. Okbai

When Fethawit K. Okbai walked into the room, those in her company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Fethawit was and how she impacted those around her. Fethawit was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Fethawit wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Fethawit was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve her well throughout her life.

She was the daughter of Kahase Ockba & Tirhas Gidey. Fethawit was raised in Senafe, Eritrea & Las Vegas, Nevada. Always at the ready with a good joke, she grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Fethawit might describe her as an idealist, her friends and family understood well that Fethawit was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to her.

Fethawit was raised with five siblings. She had two younger sisters: Tigisty & Simeret & three brothers, Merhawi, Tesfu, & Semere. Fethawit was very accepting and supportive of her family. She was perceived as the central person in her family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members.

As a young girl, Fethawit was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew her into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Fethawit was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with her peers. She was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. Fethawit took part in soccer. Fethawit had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity she and the many childhood friends she shared might discover.

During her high school years, Fethawit responded enthusiastically to any new project and was regularly in search of one adventure after another. She graduated from Valley High School in 2009. Fethawit was a very good student, and generally did well in her courses. Fethawit absorbed as much as she could from all of her teachers and was consistently able to tackle conceptual and abstract problems, using her imagination to master her assignments. For Fethawit, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to her ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered Fethawit a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to her to discuss just about anything. Her favorite class in high school was English.

Fethawit did well in college, as a result of her comfort level with tackling new theories and her love of learning. She was attending her second year at the College of Southern Nevada. Fethawit was very adaptable, a quality that helped her make the transition from high school to college with little difficulty. As a result, Fethawit's problem solving skills and thirst for new knowledge almost guaranteed that she enjoyed virtually every class she took. Fethawit wanted to be a nurse and help support her mother and five siblings. She was considering going to boarding school.

With a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought her an endless stream of friends, Fethawit was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Assertive and outgoing, Fethawit was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. She always seemed aware of what was going on with people around her and throughout her life she made many, many friends. While growing up, some of her best friends were Meron, Tsega, Li Li, Zufan. Later in life, she became friends with Meron.

Fethawit derived much satisfaction from participating in and watching sports. Her charisma, supportive nature and ability to improvise when called upon to do so all made perfect attributes for enjoying a great many sporting activities. In high school, Fethawit played soccer.

Fethawit was a woman who was dedicated and devoted to her faith. She was a member Orthodox Church. She was sympathetic and able to empathize with others and she used these qualities to the fullest while working tirelessly for her beliefs.

Fethawit Okbai passed away on November 23, 2010 at Las Vegas, Nevada. She is survived by her mother & five siblings. Services were held at Palm Mortuary, Eastern Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fethawit was laid to rest in Palm Cemetery in Las Vegas, Nevada.

There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Fethawit. She was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. She had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While she was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Fethawit Okbai for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Fethawit was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with her loved ones.

Arrangements under the direction of Palm Eastern Funeral Home, Las Vegas, NV.