Jonas Tetteh Hervie

JONAS TETTEH HERVIE was born on January 8th, 1960. He was the second of eight children born to the late Rev. Ebenezer Kwekudua Hervie and Mrs. Christiana Mamle Hervie. He is survived by his mother, six siblings, his wife, three adult children, and one grandchild. He was born in Opersika Sutri in the Eastern Region of Ghana, near the famous Boti Falls.

EARLY CHILDHOOD

Jonas spent his early years in Opersika Sutri, where his parents were farmers. His mother was also a seamstress, and his father was a Catechist for the Presbyterian Church.

EDUCATION

Jonas attended Primary and Middle schools in Opersika. He was known for his intelligence, which allowed him to skip ahead in school. After Middle school, he excelled in the National "Common Entrance Examinations" and was admitted to Okuapemman Secondary School. Despite financial challenges, he was supported by his Biology Tutor, Mr. Robert S. Narkorlie. His talent in Mathematics and Science was evident, and in 1979, he was the overall best GCE "O" Level student at Okuapemman.

He then studied Physics, Mathematics, and Chemistry at the prestigious Presbyterian Boys Secondary School (PRESEC) in Legon, Accra. Upon completion, he was admitted to the University of Science and Technology (UST), Kumasi, in 1981, where he chose to study computer science. His understanding of the subject was so strong that he organized free tutoring sessions for his peers. At UST, Jonas was elected Dining Hall Chairman and a member of the Queens Hall Junior Common Room Committee (JCRC).

EMPLOYMENT

After completing his education, Jonas was accepted for National Service and later worked for the Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation and IBM. He played a key role in the company's digitalization and revenue collection, notably developing a new Ghana Water billing system using RPG II programming language. His unmatched programming skills impressed French consultants.

His work and studies took him to several countries, including Egypt, Belgium, and Japan, for advanced studies in computer science and programming. Jonas received a scholarship to pursue an MBA in Management Information Systems (MIS) at the University of Ghana and the University of Brussels. He later lectured for two years at the University of Ghana Business School before transitioning to the Ministry of Finance on a 4-year contract. There, he helped develop a Budget Module used at the national and sub-national levels in Ghana, earning recognition across various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

In 2005, Jonas left the Ministry of Finance to establish a consulting firm, INFO DECISION SYSTEMS, with friends. The fir m secured contracts with the United Nations, Ghana Health Service, and other organizations.

MARRIAGE LIFE

Jonas married Mrs. Olive Asantewaa Tetteh-Hervie in 1993, and they had three children: Paul Jude Hervie, Mrs. Rhodalyn Ojum, and Keni Korkor Hervie.

CHRISTIAN LIFE

As the son of a Presbyterian Minister, Jonas had a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ in high school. He was active in the Queen Hall Christian Fellowship at the University of Science and Technology and served as a Chapel Steward at the Protestant Chaplaincy, eventually becoming Chief Chapel Steward. He also supported the Scripture Union and the Ghana Fellowship of Evangelical Students (GHAFES) financially. Jonas fellowshipped with the Ghana Police Church in Accra and was a Life Member of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (FGBMFI), where he served as Secretary and later President of the Madina Chapter.

SOCIAL LIFE

Jonas was known for his generosity and commitment to family, church, and friends. He bought his father a special briefcase with his first National Service allowance and later gifted him a car for his pastoral duties. He also led his siblings in building a modern apartment for their parents after his father's retirement.

LATTER LIFE

In 2008, Jonas relocated to Canada with his family, where he lived until his passing. May his soul rest in perfect peace.

FROM YOUR MOTHER-IN-LAW.

The news of your demise was received with great shock though you hadn't been well for a while. You were so humble, gentle and very respectful to us all. Your passion as a father was so admirable. You called Paul, FRIEND Rhoda ANGEL and Keni PRINCESS. That was so cute. Yet you were fair and firm in their upbringing.

During visits, you made sure the day began and ended with the Word of God. This was so remarkable and showed you were indeed' a son of the manse' a Pastor's son.

The few times I spent with you have been very pleasant and peaceful.

Your love for Olive our daughter was so beautiful. We pray your memories will always bring joy to her heart instead of sorrow.

You will forever be remembered in our hearts for your calmness. Jonas, may your gentle soul be warmly welcomed by the Angels of the Almighty God.

'Asew' rest in perfect peace.

Tribute From Wife

Sweetheart, my mentor, my coach, my loving husband. Heavy J, as I fondly called you, I can’t believe I’m doing this but on the other hand, I am grateful to God for allowing me to share part of your life on earth. I remember, over 32 years ago, we met at the entrance of our church which you had just started attending and you asked me if I would marry you. I was so shocked at your boldness. Little did I know that you were a special gift that God sent to make a difference in my life.

Thank you for the risks you took for me. Thank you for your tenacity in insisting on doing what God wanted you to do to be a part of my journey in life. I salute your courage. Our 30 years together were full of adventure. Lots of them. It’s hard to capture them on a page. You taught me how to pray and trust God. You taught me how to be bold and courageous. You taught me how to live like a Christian. You taught me how the Holy Spirit would teach us all things including how to write your computer programs. You allowed me to be me. You allowed me to go on risky mission trips which many men would not allow their wives to do. Through the things you taught me, I was able to publish my first book “Find a Reason to be Thankful”. Your generosity and kindness were exceptional. You would do anything for anyone at any time which of course our children took advantage of. The kids at church would always run to you because they knew you would make them feel special.

I am grateful to God for the children he blessed us with. Paul whom you fondly called “friend”, Rhodalyn whom you fondly called “angel” and Keni whom you fondly called “princess”. God blessed us with our son-in-law, Peter and now we have our beautiful granddaughter Shalom.

You were so diligent in everything you did and this made you excel. You were a good lecturer and your students loved you when taught briefly at the University of Ghana Business School. Your employees loved you too because you treated each of them very specially.

You were my prayer partner and that was how we bonded. We prayed for so many things and saw results and that is what I will miss the most. I was waiting for you to come back for us to complete unfinished business but God who knows best did what was best to do in your circumstances. The past 4 and half years were tough for both of us but what you taught me as a mentor kept me trusting God unswervingly. I was able to keep going because of the things you taught me.

You had such a friendly spirit that even without saying a word people just loved you even the doctors and nurses. When you were sick you prayed that God would work a miracle so that the doctors would know that God is real. God did answer that prayer six weeks before you went home to be with Jesus. I remember when the Jewish doctor called me and said – I have a positive update. Your kidneys which were shutting down suddenly started working

and other organs started working too. Dr. Chapman was so excited that he said – if your family and friends want to see a miracle tell them that Jonas is a miracle. I was able to share the love of Christ with him because of that miracle.

You always talked about heaven land a couple of days ago one of our friends came to visit and said the first day she came to our church you met her at the door and started talking about heaven. Hmm, you are there now.

Sweetheart, you fought the good fight of faith, you ran your race and I know you are resting in the arms of your first love – JESUS. I end with the words of your favorite song:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in his wonderful face

And the things of this earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of his glory and grace.

Farewell, my beloved. I will miss you!!

Tribute by Mother

My son, You were loving and kind. Everyone loved you. You were very intelligent and smart. You had extraordinary academic abilities. You got along with everyone.

You told me and your father that you will never leave us and that you really appreciate what we did for you for your education. One day you came to tell us you were leaving for Canada. You had been coming and going until one day I heard you fell sick but I was hoping you would get better and come home one day because I heard they had great doctors over there. Now I am told you are never coming back again. You have left for Eternity, but you were the one who said you will never leave us….?. I have nothing to say.

Before you left, you told us all never to forget about our savior Jesus Christ. We shall never forget the charge you left for us. We shall always remember you.

We wish you a safe journey. Your Dad and older brother are already there. You are all going to wait for us until our time comes and we shall come and join all of you.

Rest in Perfect Peace my son, until we meet again.

Tribute by Solomon Osei-Gyamerah

John 11:25

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.

Jonas was a true friend and a brother. He calls me Master Osei.

We became friends at the very first meeting on our way to the Science Faculty/Computer Science Department to register as freshmen at the University of Science and Technology (UST), Kumasi now Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in October 1981. I still remember the blue, green and red colour ball pens neatly packed in his breast pocket. He was in his usual white shirt and chocolate khaki trousers.

Later that weekend we found ourselves at the Inter Hall Christian Fellowship (IHCF). I must mention that our 4 years stay on the UST campus was like a Bible School for us.

We used to travel together to visit the Scripture Union fellowships of the nearby High schools to preach, encourage and strengthen the young Christians.

Jonas was arguably one of the best students in the BSc Computer class of 1985. He was more like a teaching assistant in all the difficult subject areas. He was outstanding in coding and programming in general.

After graduation, Jonas was delighted when I chose a lady from his tribe to be my wife. He was my bestman with his dear wife as our maid of honour.

In the year 2000, I had to convince him to join me at the Ministry of Finance when I got the opportunity to work as a consultant on a World Bank project to develop a new performance-based Budget System for the use of all government departments and agencies. He made the work of the team easier when he joined the team.

Rest in the bosom of the Lord, dear Jonas My Bajor.

Your memory will never fade.

With love and appreciation,

THE QUIET GIFT THAT SPOKE LOUDLY TO US ALL

Tribute From Church

The first time he walked into the church and sat with his family, he settled in to worship. He was definite and intently focused on worshipping the Lord. To a distant observer, he was quiet. Very quiet, but not to those who got to fellowship with and know him closely. The closer one got to know him, the clearer the man’s passion for righteousness, the Kingdom of God and family became. He was quiet, but not passive. Jonas was expressly committed and postured toward the worship of the Almighty God. Weeks, months and years later, Jonas remained consistent in posture and character. He was a worshipper. Quiet, and indeed a man of few words. Yet God’s call, authority and Grace upon his life, were unmistakable. He was a shining trophy of God’s Grace, with a clearly practical and demonstrable love for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, passion for worship and unwavering commitment to his family. He loved and honored the Saints and participated with resolute devotion to ministry in the local assembly. Jonas passionately talked about the glory that awaited us in heaven with those that he walked in close fellowship with. He was and remains one of the quiet but steadily burning lights that the Lord gifted to the Vancouver Native local church assembly.

As leaders, together with the members of the local church family at Vancouver Native Pentecostal Church, we thank God for the gift of Jonas, his contribution to the ministry and the local body at VNPC. We cherish his zeal for the Lord, the fervent prayer for the nation of Israel and the peace of Jerusalem and his willingness and readiness to minister to the Saints. Jonas was indeed a gift to the local body. Quiet? Yes. But his godly conduct spoke louder than his verbal expressions. We consider it a privilege and honour to have walked with him, be it for a short time along life’s journey. We are grateful to the Lord that He gave Jonas to us as a gift. A gift from across the continents! Woow!

We look forward to the reunion with Him in the Heavenly Father’s presence because we know that “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” Jonas served our Lord and He now rests in His presence. For this, we greatly rejoice.

Tribute From Daughter – Keni Hervie

Words cannot express all that my dad has meant to me. It feels unbelievable that he has passed and that life will now be void of him. For as long as I can remember, I have been his shadow and he, my best friend. We shared so many moments together—laughing, arguing, and teasing one another. I never expected those moments to end so abruptly, and that is what hurts the most. Yet, as heartbreaking as his loss is, I am grateful for the blessing he was in my life and for the time spent getting to know his beautiful soul.

If I were to sum up my dad’s character, it would be loving, in every sense. He was affectionate, generous, and incredibly attentive. From birth, he called me his princess, always wanting me to know how special I was to him. He never failed to show me. I remember making him join dance parties or play games, and although it wasn’t his favorite, he always did it because he knew it brought me joy. When I had problems he couldn’t fix, he let me talk without complaint because he wanted me to feel heard. My dad’s loving nature also included his selflessness. When I was in high school and he could no longer drive, he would wake up early every morning to carry my backpack on my 30-minute walk. He did this for years, consistently showing how much he cared. He was not only loving to those close to him but also to strangers. During those walks, he often stopped to talk with passersby because, in his words, “these people weren’t friendly,” so he chose to be an example. The cheer he shared in those moments will be forever remembered.

Aside from his kind heart, my dad was also remarkably smart and driven—values he instilled in us. He always told us to aim for excellence in whatever we did. I grew up hearing his stories of studying abroad and pursuing business, which inspired me. I always wanted to make my dad proud, and he never failed to be my biggest cheerleader. As proud as he was of our academic achievements, he wished above all for excellence in our faith.

My dad deeply influenced my spiritual life. As a child, I watched him spend hours studying the Bible, underlining passages because he always wanted to know more. I remember summers doing Bible studies, as he wanted us to develop a deep understanding of God’s word. He always talked about the fun we would have in heaven and the questions he was going to ask Jesus. As much as it pains me not to have him here, I know he has found rest in our heavenly Father’s arms. While I can’t speak to him or hug him, I know we will be reunited one day in a place that knows no sorrows. Daddy, your memory and impact will forever be with me. I love you so much.

Tribute From Daughter – Keni Hervie

Words cannot express all that my dad has meant to me. It feels unbelievable that he has passed and that life will now be void of him. For as long as I can remember, I have been his shadow and he, my best friend. We shared so many moments together—laughing, arguing, and teasing one another. I never expected those moments to end so abruptly, and that is what hurts the most. Yet, as heartbreaking as his loss is, I am grateful for the blessing he was in my life and for the time spent getting to know his beautiful soul.

If I were to sum up my dad’s character, it would be loving, in every sense. He was affectionate, generous, and incredibly attentive. From birth, he called me his princess, always wanting me to know how special I was to him. He never failed to show me. I remember making him join dance parties or play games, and although it wasn’t his favorite, he always did it because he knew it brought me joy. When I had problems he couldn’t fix, he let me talk without complaint because he wanted me to feel heard. My dad’s loving nature also included his selflessness. When I was in high school and he could no longer drive, he would wake up early every morning to carry my backpack on my 30-minute walk. He did this for years, consistently showing how much he cared. He was not only loving to those close to him but also to strangers. During those walks, he often stopped to talk with passersby because, in his words, “these people weren’t friendly,” so he chose to be an example. The cheer he shared in those moments will be forever remembered.

Aside from his kind heart, my dad was also remarkably smart and driven—values he instilled in us. He always told us to aim for excellence in whatever we did. I grew up hearing his stories of studying abroad and pursuing business, which inspired me. I always wanted to make my dad proud, and he never failed to be my biggest cheerleader. As proud as he was of our academic achievements, he wished above all for excellence in our faith.

My dad deeply influenced my spiritual life. As a child, I watched him spend hours studying the Bible, underlining passages because he always wanted to know more. I remember summers doing Bible studies, as he wanted us to develop a deep understanding of God’s word. He always talked about the fun we would have in heaven and the questions he was going to ask Jesus. As much as it pains me not to have him here, I know he has found rest in our heavenly Father’s arms. While I can’t speak to him or hug him, I know we will be reunited one day in a place that knows no sorrows. Daddy, your memory and impact will forever be with me. I love you so much.

Tribute From Daughter – Keni Rhodalyn

How do I begin to express the impact my dad had on my life? The best way to describe him is selfless, generous, and humble. He was loving and caring, almost to a fault. I’m still amazed by the sacrifices he made to ensure the well-being of those he cared about.

My best memories of him are from our time in Ghana. He was deeply involved in our lives, and I regret not fully appreciating his sacrifices. Moving to Canada strained our bond, but his thoughtful emails while he traveled kept us connected.

Even when finances were tight, he did his best to shield us from it. I remember him spending nearly all his income from a work trip to buy me a laptop I had asked for. At the time, I didn’t realize how much of a big deal it was until my mom explained it later. His gentle, loving nature often overshadowed his exceptional intelligence and navigational skills. He was cultured, sensitive, and God-fearing, demonstrating God’s love through his actions, not just words.

I find peace knowing we prayed for God’s will, but it’s hard to hold back tears when reflecting on memories, knowing that’s all that remains. I’m saddened that my children won’t experience his charismatic, loving nature or the amazing grandfather he would have been. Yet, I’m grateful to have known and been raised by him. Only my firstborn met him, but all my children will hear about him.

Daddy, your angel will miss you dearly, but now you’re with the real angels in our Heavenly Father’s presence. I love you.

TRIBUTE FROM SIBLINGS

“Awetse Joe” (Big Brother) as we all affectionately called you, you have left a hole in our hearts that can never be filled. We were lucky and privileged to be born with you by the same parents. The course of our lives was all changed because you were our leader from the beginning and out of the deep village and poverty, you defied all the odds and you took to education at the highest level.

We all followed your footsteps and that is how we all got lifted up. You organized teaching classes and taught us personally every vacation and that always put us ahead of our peers. This helped us all to excel just as you did.

Although we came from a Christian home, you always emphasized to the very end of your life that we must have a very personal relationship with the Lord and we all do remember that. Some of your sermons were the most insightful and impactful we have ever heard and still do remember.

You have touched so many lives in so many ways, you were our guide, counsellor, and protector and supported us in every way to make sure we all succeed. You were compassionate and easy to approach. Your entire life was an example that we aspire to be.

You taught us what love for family was by the way you lived. As the Bible says; ….” and their works shall follow them”. Whenever you look down from Heaven, you must be proud at what you see that you left behind. Although you were human, we can testify that you did your best to follow “in the steps of our Lord and Savior. You lived a true Christian life in our eyes till the very end.

In the last few years of your life, as you struggled with sickness and human frailty, we always questioned ourselves “Why do bad things happen to good people” because in our eyes you were without a question “a good man”.

You have fought the good fight and as you always reminded us, you will surely be in Heaven so each one of us must strive to get there so we can be family again. We have no doubt where you are and we all plan to follow your example to the end like you did.

The Lord has spoken and asked that you join him in Eternity. We are mortals and we have to obey. Enjoy the presence of your creator who has saved you by grace through His blood. In His own time, we shall all join you in singing the everlasting song as we crown Him Lord of all. We love you and we say “Rest in perfect peace”.