Francis Uchechukwu Ejezie

Francis Uchechukwu Ejezie, 37, passed away March 1, 2022. He was born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria on February 16, 1985 to Samuel Uchechukwu and Chinyere Ume. Francis was such an exceptional individual; he was courageous, enthusiastic, determined and one of the most hardworking individuals to have lived. Born with a disability, he faced so much difficulty, but that did not deter him from achieving heights that many thought impossible.

He obtained a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Microbiology from the University of Port Harcourt Nigeria (2011); in 2015, he relocated to the United States and went on to earn a Master of Public Administration (MPA) with a concentration in Healthcare Administration from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (2017), and a Master of Public Health (MPH) with a concentration in Healthcare Management from Emory Rollins School of Public Health (2019). He was a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) with concentration in Healthcare Management and Policy candidate at the University of Arizona Tucson before his untimely demise.

Francis worked in the health and nonprofit sectors for more than seven years, holding positions in Clinical Research, Strategic Planning, Program Management and Curriculum Development. His research interests included health disparities and disability policy. He most recently worked as a COVID-19 Case Investigator for the state of Georgia and as a Research Assistant at the Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities within the University of Arizona Department of Family and Community Medicine.

Francis loved to travel and spend time with his family. He was also very charitable: he always rendered assistance to the less privileged through charitable donations and provided financial assistance to friends undergoing financial difficulties in Nigeria. He was also an advocate for education; he provided scholarship for students at Point-Park primary and secondary school; where he served as director as well as taught a few courses including chemistry, physics, and mathematics. He encouraged friends to further their education and supported them financially.

Francis was a man of faith. Building an intimate relationship with God was the core of whom he was and the anchor of his life. As a member of the Catholic Church, he was a knight of Columbus and a member of St. Vincent the Paul society.

Francis leaves behind a loving family his family, friends, and colleagues.

Father: Samuel U Ejezie,

Mother: Chinyere C Ejezie

Brother: John O Ejezie

Sisters: Ijeoma Ejezie-Anusiem,

Chinenye L Ejezie

Chinwendu R Ejezie

Brother-in-Law: Nnamdi Anusiem

Niece: Munachimso Anusiem

Nephew: Chimaobim Anusiem

A lot of aunties and uncles, and cousins.