Obituary of Bruno K. Yomoah

Bruno Kyaapuokuu Yomoah, beloved husband, father, brother, grandfather, and friend to many passed away on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in Dover, New Jersey, surrounded by family. He was 74 years old.

Born in Nandom, Ghana on February 1, 1950, Bruno was the eldest of seven children born to the late Rogation and Rosalia Yomoah. Bruno received his primary and secondary education in Northern Ghana where he became a mentor to his peers and quickly fell in love with literature and English as a discipline, beginning lifelong devotion to teaching. He would later go on to earn his master’s degrees in English and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages as well as an Advanced Certificate of Education.

After pursuing his graduate degrees, Bruno married Catherine in 1979 and had three children.  Bruno embarked on a more than 40-year illustrious career in education and administration that would take him and his family from Ghana to Nigeria, Turkey, and the US. While in the US, he taught at Hebron Academy, King Middle School, University of Southern Maine, and Central Maine Community College. Bruno retired as the ESL Coordinator at Deering High School in Portland, Maine in 2016.

Bruno was famous among his family and friends for being erudite and selfless. He could often be found expertly editing others’ written work when called upon, lounging on the couch with a book, or enjoying a restaurant meal with his wife. A gifted storyteller, Bruno used his commanding baritone to regale his audiences with captivating stories from his travels around the world. Bruno also loved to dance and could be counted on to warm up parties with his warm and welcoming aura. He reveled in hearing from his former students and took great pride and interest in their accomplishments as adults.  As a devout Catholic, he was an active congregant at Sacred Heart Church in Auburn, Maine, a member of the Knights of Columbus. Bruno sat on the board of the Maine chapter of the United Nations Association, was passionate organizer in Maine’s immigrant community, and was an active member of the Ghanaian community around New England.

Bruno is survived by his wife Catherine; his son Jerry of Delmar, NY; his daughters Jennifer (Douglas) of Morristown, NJ, and Pamela (Christopher) of Canaan, NY; his grandchildren Cailey and Murphy and his step-grandson Andrew; his siblings Matthew, Cecilia, Ferdinand, and Paula; his nieces and nephews in the US, Ghana, Japan, and Europe; and his many cherished friends all over the world. He was predeceased by his parents, his brothers Johnny and Stephen.

Bruno’s departure will undoubtedly leave a void in the hearts of those who knew and loved him, but he will always be remembered for his compassion and wisdom, his curiosity, his infectious and distinctive laugh, and for his deep and everlasting affection and pride for Ghana.

Friends and family are welcome to gather on Friday, May 31, 2024, from 5-7 pm at Burroughs, Kohr & Dangler Funeral Home, 106 Main St., Madison, NJ  07940. Visiting hours will start on Saturday, June 1, at 10 am prior to the funeral service at 11am. Interment will follow at St. Vincent Cemetery, Madison, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Bruno K. Yomoah’s name can be made to the St. Charles Minor Seminary High School rebuilding project, an initiative for which Bruno had a strong passion. Please visit https://stcharles.edu.gh/alumni-funding/ for additional information on how to donate.

The family of Bruno Yomoah would like to thank all the healthcare professionals who took special care of him during his long illness with a special note of appreciation to the staff at Fresenius Medical Care (Auburn, ME and Latham, NY) and Kindred Hospital (Dover, NJ) for the compassionate care during his time there.