Mrs. Grace Norah Apio Oder
2 Timothy 4:7-8
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Legacy
Background and legacy of Mrs Grace Norah Apio Oder.
A mother and grandmother who connected generations with love.
.
22 April 2025
The family of the late Rwot Lakana Otim of Bar Apwo, Lira City and the Clan of Okii me Ogwang Kol Tum shares with relatives, friends and in-laws the background, and legacy of Imat Grace Norah Apio Oder who passed on in the afternoon of Tuesday 22 April 2025 from Avento Specialist Medical Centre in Lira City.
FAMILY BACKGROUND
Imat Grace Norah Apio Oder was born on 13 August 1947 to Rwot Lakana Otim of Okii me Ogwang Kol Tum Clan and Imat Mary Akello Otim of Okii Bura Clan of Lango.
Imat Grace Norah Apio Oder is from a large family of 4 brothers and 10 sisters.
Imat Grace Norah Apio was married to late Hon. Justice Awitong Arthur Haggai Okello Oder, one of the pioneer human rights lawyers in Uganda, and former Judge to the Supreme Court of Uganda. Hon Justice Okello Oder was a son to Adwong Phillipo Oder of Abwor clan and Imat Tereza Ijang. Justice Oder’s siblings are: (1). Mrs. Bensy Adongo Obuwa (2). Mrs. Joyce Akello Angulo (3). Dr. Polycap Odongo (4). Mr. Lameck Onyala (5). Mr. Alfred Ogang (6). Ms. Caroline Ajok (7). Ms. Lillian Angom.
Imat Grace Norah Apio Oder together with her husband Justice Oder were blessed with seven biological children: (1). Sandra Adong (2). Linda Ijang Ayo (3). Judy Akot (4). Sheila Amule (5). Elizabeth (Betty) Aceng Brown (6). Jackie Akello and (7). Rosette Arujo. She was also a loving mother to many children and dependants.
Imat Grace Norah Apio Oder is survived by two sons-in-laws: Eric Patrick Ayo, and Isaiah Nathaniel Brown III.
Imat Grace is survived by five grandchildren: (1). Akili Keyes Ankunda, (2). Elsie Stephanie Ayo, (3). Angel Grace Ayo, (4). Leone Isaac Ayo, and (5). Grace Gaia Seidi-Ba.
EDUCATION, PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND LEGACY
1. Education:
The parents of Imat Grace Norah Apio Oder were very strong supporters of education and early adopters of the girl-child education in Lango. They supported her to attend the following educational schools and institutions:
1. Primary Education: She attended Aduku Primary School between 1953 and 1960.
2. Secondary Education: She attended St. Catherine Girls Secondary School Boroboro between 1961 and 1964 when she sat for Higher School Certificate.
3. Tertiary Education: She attended Mengo School of Nursing in Kampala between 1965 and 1967. She studied business management at the East African Commercial School in Kampala in 1972.
2. Professional Service:
Imat Grace Norah Apio Oder effectively used her medical and business education and trainings to provide dedicated quality and impactful diverse services as summarised below:
1. 1968 – 1969: Worked as a midwife at Anaka Hospital in Northern Uganda.
2. 1974 – 1989: Worked as Branch Manager with Foods and Beverages Ltd under the Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Industry in Iganga, Kamuli, Tororo, Kampala and Apac.
3. 1990–2005: Worked as Director and Founder of Gift Centre in Apac and Lira.
4. 1991: Work as Director and Founder of Aged Care Organisation, a Non-Governmental Organisation based in Lira.
5. 1990–1991: She was a board member of Apac Development Foundation, where she diligently served the community.
6. 1998–1999: Worked as a Professional Healthcare Consultant in Melbourne Australia.
7. 2005–2016: Woman Councillor III Representing Junior Quarters Ward, Adyel Division Lira Municipal Council.
3. Legacy:
We will forever remember and celebrate the life of Imat Grace Norah Apio Oder with her legacy summarised below:
i. Jolly personality: The best card Imat Grace had in her hand all the time was her infectious jolly personality. In her interactions with people, she naturally cheered up people by finding and amplifying delight in every moment. She celebrated life daily by looking on the bright side of life and finding reasons to smile even during challenges.
ii. Great communicator: Imat Grace was such a great communicator. Daily, she built her knowledge based on a wide range of important subjects through listening to news and reading. In all her interactions, she kept people engaged in informative, humorous and lively debates. Her perspectives on many issues were interesting and educative. She was considered the best orator in the family.
iii. Peaceful and loving personality: Imat Grace was a down-to-earth peace lover. Her interventions defused conflicts in our family, her workplaces and community before they could raise their heads. She was full of ideas which gave common grounds and offered solutions that benefited all parties involved. It was therefore difficult to find her in active conflicts with anyone. This is because Imat Grace respected differences in opinions, cultures, and lifestyles, and believed in co-existence. She was therefore a very lovely personality. She loved and was proud of all her relatives, in-laws, children and grandchildren.
iv. Repository of our genealogy: Our family and clan has lost living archive of its history and lineage. She had collected, recorded, and safeguarded information about ancestors, family stories, and important events in her memory. She has been bridging gaps between older and younger family members by sharing knowledge about shared heritage. Whenever questions about our ancestry arose, Imat Grace was the go-to person for insights and answers. With her departure, our family and clan has lost its cross-generational bridge and the reference repository of our genealogy.
v. Loved her faith: Imat Grace loved her faith. She drew most her strength and inspiration from her Christian faith which made her an addicted peace lover, and forgiving personality. As she got to the evening of her life, she found meaning in encouraging all her relatives and friends to live by Biblical principles.
vi. Impactful mother: Best of all, Imat Grace was a mother to all – including to some of her siblings, workmates, and children in her community. In her lifetime, Imat Grace raised over fifty children by creating firm foundations in life for each of them through formal and non-formal education, medical care, mentorship in leadership, and livelihoods as well as handholding amongst others. She dearly and deeply loved each of her children. She taught her children to love and support each other.
Imat Grace Norah Apio Oder, you will forever live in our hearts as a mother and grandmother who connected generations with love.
Fare Thee well, Imat Grace Norah Apio Oder.
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Mummy is in a place of peace, joy, rest & eternity.
Liz my dear & your beloved sisters, God is present today & always. Pls keep holding onto His hem Psalm 139:5
May mummy's kind heart
words of wisdom, & guidance live on...
Our promise to hold hands in prayers of agreement will grow stronger my dear Liz. My former neighbor at Nakasero (In the 90"s) OG Namasagali College ('96) OG Makerere University. Today I call you my sister ❤️
Psalm 34:18 The Lord is near to the broken hearted and saves the crushed in Spirit.
From Doreen Avako (Mbabazi)
the year 1993, a time that marked the beginning of a lifelong friendship. At the time, I was
serving as a Medical Officer at Apac Medical Office and Apac Hospital. It was in that same year,
in September 1993, that my daughter was born – a moment that would forever intertwine our
families in a deeply personal and memorable way.
While riding my bike through town, I happened to stop by Grace’s shop, the Gift Centre, as I
often did. Grace had a warm and engaging spirit, and it was always refreshing to spend a few
moments talking with her. During that visit, I shared the joyful news that my wife and I had just
welcomed a baby girl into the world. Grace was genuinely overjoyed. Her face lit up with that
familiar, heartwarming smile that so many of us came to love.
As we continued chatting, her daughter Sheilla Amule Oder entered the shop from behind. At
that time, Sheilla was spending her holiday with her mother. Grace turned to me with enthusiasm
and said, “Why don’t you name your daughter Sheilla, so that she can be my daughter’s
namesake?” I smiled and nodded in agreement. That simple, sincere exchange marked the
beginning of a special bond between our families. From that moment on, my daughter became
Sheilla Ario, a living tribute to the love and friendship we shared with Grace and her family.
Over the years, our relationship with Grace grew beyond friendship into something that felt like
family. She remained a steady and kind presence in our lives – a woman of dignity, generosity,
and heartfelt compassion. Grace was the kind of person whose warmth left an imprint on
everyone she met. Her wisdom, her gentle humor, and her caring heart were gifts to us all.
Though her earthly journey has come to an end, the legacy of Grace Oder lives on, in the lives
she touched, in the family she nurtured, and in the small but profound moments she shared with
us. My family and I will forever cherish the bond that began with a name and grew into a
lifelong connection.
May her soul rest in eternal peace. Until we meet again, dear Grace, may the heavens receive you
with the same joy and warmth that you shared with all of us
It is with sadness that Mum, Auntie, Grand Mama,Theresa of our humanity, community and what have you has left us to rest in peace, but do not forget her spirit oscillates in our circles for the best of all. Let us mourn her whever we are geographically located. Let there be no fear. She has been our human intelligence since the time she first saw light. I don't know whose heart she hasn't touched. I for one, is bonded to her covalently, my message to the Seven girls who carry her genetic traits. Uncle John is by all your sides, you are all mine and ours, you are all her mirror images,non superimposable but in trend series. Be strong, resistant and tolerant, you all know the distances we have walked with her (RIP) being the pillar. May her soul rest in deep peace and we all carry her touch of light. The late Grace Oder( RIP) moduled me to be who I am today. I am more of her Son than the Son of her Uncle (Late Paul Opio Etii). The Lord has called them in sequence, may both of their souls meet there and bless all us to move forward.
Bless all of you.
the life she lived and the love she shared.
We are grateful for her unconditional love. Mum loved us not despite our flaws, but with them. She taught us that true love is about acceptance, about seeing the best in each other.
We are grateful for her strength. The way Mum faced every challenge with grace and courage was nothing short of inspiring. She showed us what it means to live life to the fullest, regardless of the circumstances.
We are grateful for her wisdom. Mum had this incredible ability to offer advice that was always spot-on, delivered with just the right balance of honesty and kindness. The lessons she taught us will guide us for the rest of our lives.
She instilled in us a curiosity about the world and a willingness to step out of our comfort zones.
We grateful for her laughter, witty sense of humour and for the way she could make any house feel like a home. Mum brought so much joy into our lives, turning ordinary moments into precious memories.
Most of all, we are grateful for the time we had with her. Every moment, every conversation, every shared smile was a gift.
Mum believed in the potential of every person she met. She had this incredible ability to see the best in people, often before they could see it in themselves. Mum mentored young people, always encouraged us, and rallied support for those in need.
Mum, thank you for your love, your guidance, your sacrifices. Thank you for shaping us into the people we are today. Though you are no longer with us, your love, your spirit, your legacy lives on in each of us.
As we move forward, we promise to live our lives in a way that would make you proud, to love as fiercely as you loved us, and to always be grateful for the precious gift of life. We love you, Mum, always and forever.
She was the kind of person who remembered the little things. A gentle hand on your back when you were tired, a knowing look when words weren’t needed, a pot of something warm on the stove when life got too cold. In her presence, you felt seen. You felt loved.
What I will remember most about Atat Grace is how she lived her life with quiet dignity and purpose. She taught me—without ever preaching—that grace isn’t just a name. It’s a way of moving through the world, even when the world is unkind. It’s choosing love over bitterness, hope over despair, and compassion over judgment.
Though she may no longer be with us in body, I see her in every small act of goodness. In the way we care for each other. In the laughter she left behind. In the love that remains.
We will miss her voice, her stories, her presence. But we carry her legacy forward—not just in our memories, but in how we choose to live.
Thank you, Atat Grace, for loving us. For shaping us. For giving us your grace.
May you rest in eternal peace, Atat.
Since I was young, I always looked forward to going to Lira to see Atat Grace. She welcomed me, my siblings, my cousins, and anyone traveling with us with so much warmth — always greeting us with hugs and gifts.
She always wanted to be part of our lives — her grandchildren. She wanted to know how we were doing, that we were okay. That’s why I’m so proud and grateful to be the grandson of such a kind, caring, loving, and strong woman.
The last time we spoke, I told her that soon she’d be watching me play on TV — because even though she always heard about my matches, she had never really seen me play. But now, she won’t just be watching. I believe she’ll be right there with me — cheering me on, and even playing with me on the pitch. Because the love she gave me doesn’t disappear. It lives on — in my heart, in my drive, and in every goal I chase and score. She will always be with me. She will remain with us in our hearts.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
— 2 Timothy 4:7
This verse reminds me of the life Atat Grace lived — strong, faithful, and full of purpose. She truly fought the good fight. She raised generations with love, stood strong through life’s battles, and held onto her faith until the end. Her race is finished, but the love she
ran with will continue through us.
Rest in eternal peace, Atat Grace 🕊️❤️
Forever in our hearts. Rest in peace, Atat Grace. 🕊️
May your soul rest in peace 💕❤️
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