Elechi Etieno Madu

Elechi was an extraordinary, loving, and courageous young woman who touched the hearts of everyone who met her. She lived a life full of adventure, learning to play several instruments, including the violin, the piano, and the ukulele. From an early age, Elechi exhibited an energetic and curious personality delighting everyone she met with her wit, kindness, and sense of humor.

Although Elechi faced some health challenges related to her sickle cell disease, she never let that limit her dreams and sought to be of service wherever she could. She volunteered with many charitable organizations, including various international mission trips to Nigeria and Tanzania, using her very first paycheck to pay the salaries of preachers in Nigeria, and traveling to raise awareness and funds for sickle cell research.

Elechi excelled academically, graduating early from high school and securing scholarships and admissions to several renowned universities, including Pepperdine University, The University of Alabama, and Freed Hardeman University where she planned on attending in the fall of 2023 to study pre-law with hopes of becoming a Malpractice Attorney.

Elechi enjoyed reading romance novels, sewing, baking, babysitting children, listening endlessly to the Hamilton soundtrack (she knew the words of every song on the soundtrack), hanging out with the youth group at Oliver Creek Church of Christ, and rewatching Grey’s Anatomy as often as she could. Elechi had a black belt in Taekwondo and was learning sign language before she passed. She also co-published a review paper as a second author in International Journal of Molecular Science.

Elechi is preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Obong Okon Mkpong and Madam Affiong Mkpong and her paternal Uncle, Okechukwu Okoromadu and is survived by her parents, Emmanuel and Pamela, her big brother, Chinua, aunties: Idongesit Mkpong-Ruffin (Dale), Uduak Mkpong Afangideh (P.T.), Ngozi Okeke (Michael), Mfon Mkpong Nze, Uncles: Ekemini Mkpong (Uduak), Chima (LaChundrae) Uchenna Okoromadu (Julie), her grandparents, Mr. Nwafor Okoromadu and Mrs. Ethel Okoromadu, 25 cousins, other family members and friends.

Although Elechi will be terribly missed, we take solace in the fact that she is now reunited with her grandparents, uncle, and her Creator, free of pain and illness. We are comforted by the amazing life that she lived and the fact that her life will continue in the lives of all those who are recipients of the gifts she gave when she decided at age 16 to be an organ donor.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MemphisFuneralGermantownParkway.com for the Madu family.