March 1954-March 2026
With deep sorrow and profound gratitude for a life beautifully lived, we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother, and matriarch, Nana Helena Akohene-Mensah, who departed this life peacefully on March 22, 2026, at the age of 72.
Nana Helena was born on March 14, 1954, in Boko, Kumasi Region, to her loving mother, Afua Sarpong, and father, Robert Boah. She was raised within a large and extended family, surrounded by many siblings and relatives — a foundation that shaped her deep understanding of community, connection, and shared responsibility.
Known to many simply as Nana, she was a woman of strength, grace, and unwavering devotion to her family and community. She carried a presence that was both warm and commanding — a woman whose life was marked by generosity, resilience, and a deep commitment to serving others.
She was a pillar within both the Ottawa and Ghanaian communities, consistently showing up with love, wisdom, and a willingness to uplift those around her. Alongside her beloved husband, George, with whom she shared over 50 years of marriage, Nana Helena co-founded and operated NaNa’s Fashion and Beauty Supplies for nearly three decades. Through this work, she not only built a business but also created a space of connection, culture, and care for many in the community.
Above all, Nana Helena was a devoted wife, a loving mother, and a proud grandmother. Her home was a place of welcome, her hands were always open to give, and her heart was deeply invested in the well-being of her family and community.
Though her passing was unexpected, we take comfort in knowing that her life was rich in love, impact, and purpose. Nana Helena found deep comfort in the Word of God, and held closely to her favourite scripture, Psalm 91 — a reflection of her faith and trust in God’s covering and protection.
BIOGRAPHY OF MRS. HELENA AKOHENE-MENSAH
Also known as Helena Ama Darkowah Buah (Nana)
“For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.” (Romans 14:7–8)
Mrs. Helena Akohene-Mensah, also known earlier in life as Helena Ama Darkowah Buah, and lovingly called “Nana” and “Sister,” was born on 14th March 1954 at Atwima Foase, to Mr. Robert Kwaku Boah of Atwima Foase and Madam Afua Sarpong of Atwima Boko, both of blessed memory.
From her earliest years, Helena embodied warmth, discipline, and a deep sense of responsibility – qualities that would define her throughout life. She began her basic education at Foase Methodist Primary School, where she studied from 1960 to 1968. Her academic diligence and determination earned her success in the Common Entrance Examination, leading to her admission to St. Louis Girls Secondary School, Kumasi, where she completed her secondary education in 1974.
Driven by an early and enduring passion for teaching, Helena pursued further studies at St. Louis Teacher Training College from 1975 to 1976, where she trained as a professional teacher and became certified in the noble vocation she dearly loved. Her first teaching appointment took her to Krofrom, Kumasi, where she began shaping young minds with the same care and discipline that would later become the hallmark of her family life.
In 1976 while in the final year at College, she met the love of her life, Mr. George Akohene-Mensah, and they were married in January 1978, beginning a beautiful union that lasted over 50 years. She later relocated with her husband to Bonsu Cocoa College, where he worked. Following his move to Canada, Helena returned to Kumasi in 1984, before joining him in Canada, in 1986.
In Canada, the family first lived in Montreal before settling in Ottawa. Helena continued to demonstrate her resilience and pursuit of excellence. She enrolled at the Toronto School of Business, Ottawa, earning an Honours Degree in Hotel Management. She subsequently joined JDS Uniphase Corporation, one of Ottawa’s reputable high-tech companies at that time, where she worked diligently for twelve years until the company relocated to the United States and staff were retrenched.
True to her resilient spirit, Helena chose to build her own path and established Nana’s Fashion and Beauty Supplies Incorporated, a business that beautifully reflected her elegance, creativity, taste, and hardworking nature. She managed the business passionately and faithfully for near three decades until the very last day she departed from this world.
Beyond her career, Helena was the rock of both her nuclear and extended family. To her younger siblings, nieces, and nephews, she was not merely an elder but a guide, protector, confidante, and second mother. It was this cherished role that earned her the affectionate family name “Sister.”
A woman of profound faith, Helena remained deeply rooted in both the Methodist and Charismatic Christian traditions. Prayer was her strength, her refuge, and her constant weapon. She was naturally generous, deeply hospitable, and anyone who encountered her experienced warmth, kindness, and genuine care. At the same time, she was a loving disciplinarian who believed strongly in principles, respect, and excellence.
In her final hours, after a brief illness, Helena passed peacefully at her home in Ottawa, Canada. Though her departure leaves a profound void, her memory remains a blessing and her legacy lives on in the countless lives she touched.
She is survived by her dear and devoted husband of fifty years, Mr. George Akohene-Mensah; four sons; six grandchildren; eleven siblings; and a large extended family spread across Ghana, Canada, the USA, the UK, and many parts of the world.
Mrs. Helena Akohene-Mensah lived a life of faith, service, dignity, discipline, generosity, enterprise, and enduring love. Hers was truly a life well lived, a race well run, and a legacy that will continue to inspire generations.
“Her life was gentle, and the elements
So mix’d in her that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world, ‘This was a woman.’”
(Adapted from William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar Act 5 scene 5)
Fare thee well, Ama. Farewell, Sister. Adios.
For more info visit: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/syqa4b55bn2qer7286w85/FullBooklet-Design-Nana-QueenMother-Funeral-May2026-inFokhus_Productions-v3.pdf?rlkey=i673ny388u2nigz3hn9y6ouqt&dl=0
Additional information is available at nanahelena.com