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Philip Mazelu Okeke
April 14, 1968 – May 6, 2021
Philip Okeke was born during the hardship of the Biafra Civil War in Nigeria 1968. His paternal grandfather gave him the name, “Mazelu” which he is most known by. Mazelu was a unique name meaning “Be Cautious” (of the bombs during the Biafra war). Mazelu was the fifth child of six, born to the Late Chief Eugene and Mrs. Regina Chukwu Okeke of Umuogbulafor, Uzoakwa , Ihiala, in Anambra State Nigeria. Mazelu was a tenacious child, prone to accidents and mishaps. He was very curious and clever, keeping his mother and older sisters on their toes to ensure his well-being.
When he was growing up he dreamt of becoming a commercial airline pilot. However, his father objected for reasons still not fully aware to Mazelu. His father insisted he become a physicist, and being an obedient child in a traditional Nigerian family, Mazelu obeyed and did not argue with his father. In 1992, he graduated with a B.S. degree in Physics and Astronomy and worked for a few years offshore as a geophysicist for Mabon Limited, a Nigerian Petroleum Service Company. However, even with a solid education and secure job, things were not easy in Nigeria. So, in 1997, he started the arborous journey of moving abroad, first to England. While there, he met his wife Jacquelyn “Jackie” King, who was a student studying abroad during her junior year of University.
The two fell in love and later Mazelu moved to the United States to join her. They were married on November 30, 1998. They are blessed with two boys, Dion Chukwudera and Luke Oji. Mazelu was a devoted family man, always firm but very caring and most importantly playful. He had zero tolerance for bad behavior or disrespect of others. He was a master story-teller and historian. A devout Catholic and ardent believer in God, he lived a simple life of honesty and truthfulness anchoring on the traditional values of the Igbo culture and people. While he mourned the leaving of Nigeria, he embraced the conservative values he found in the United States.
Even in the abundance of the United States, being a transplant from across the world- with a different accent, at times an unwelcomed outsider and often misunderstood – Mazelu continued to struggle to find his footing, working at various jobs including car sales, real estate and later in the federal prison system as a correctional officer.
Mazelu’s father’s dream, and gradually his own dream of working as a professional in the oil and gas sector, never fully materialized. Then in 2003, Mazelu’s beloved father died. When he returned to Nigeria to bury him, Mazelu was shocked that the hospital where his father spent his last hours, which was once the jewel and crown of their community, had deteriorated to the point of being unrecognizable. The standard of care and practice pained Mazelu so much. It was in that moment that something inside Mazelu changed – he would study Nursing. Like his life before, this would prove no easy task, now with a growing family and home to maintain. However, Mazelu was determined and focused. He worked nights as a prison guard and took nursing classes during the day. He was on a mission. One of hope and perseverance, even in the midst of much adversity and hardship. He graduated Cum Laude with an Associate Degree in Nursing. Later he received his B.S. degree in Nursing (BSN Sept 2018 Grand Canyon University).
In 2009, Mazelu enthusiastically accepted an RN position at St. Luke’s Medical Center (now CHI St. Luke’s). He felt honored and extremely fortunate to be one of only twenty graduate nurses hired that year. His nursing career began on Eleven Tower CV Telemetry before transferring to the Emergency Department, which became his second home. He realized too, even during nursing school and before actually working in CV, he had a keen interest in the cardiovascular system.
Mazelu had a gift, a supernatural gift of teaching and helping patients and their families understand their disease and disease process. Many families would remark stating, “I have been so frustrated, no one has told me anything about what this (disease) means for me, but you explained it and now, for the first time ever, I get it!!” This was an unexpected compliment that surprised and humbled Mazelu. Unbeknownst to him, he was often observed by his fellow nurses to remain with a deceased patient, praying for them and remaining with them, until their family members could arrive to the bedside. Because of this, he was awarded the Spirituality Award by the Institute for Spirituality and Health & CHI Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center on October 14, 2016.
Mazelu was a very kind and generous human being. He always greeted everyone he encountered with a huge smile and big hug, while inquiring about their health, well-being and their family members. Mazelu always had time to care for others, often at the expense of himself. In his free time, Mazelu volunteered at Catholic Charities food bank, distributing food to those less fortunate. While there, he would also inquire about client’s health and help them with any other needs. Mazelu enjoyed his travel to Columbia on a Medical Mission trip to serve those displaced from Venezuela at the time. Mazelu was also a proud member of PAPA- Priest Always Prayer Apostolate.
Mazelu, his brother Chukwudi and Mazelu’s sons, were all diehard FC Barcelona Soccer fans. Mazelu and Chukwudi would chat daily reminiscing and always about their beloved soccer matches including their trip to Barcelona together in 2011 to watch a match in person. Mazelu adored music, mixing music and dancing. He was the life and light of the room, anywhere he went. His light was so bright, perhaps it was too bright to shine for too long in this physical world. He was intelligent, kind-hearted, caring, loyal, devoted and a hands-on father. He loved life, his family, his long walks and his faith. He was mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually strong and willed himself to live until his last breath.
Mazelu will be deeply missed but never forgotten. He was no stranger to hard work, perseverance and high moral standards. We mourn the death of our beloved Mazelu. We rejoice knowing he is no longer suffering the pain of this world, and that we will someday see him again in Heaven. Rest easy beloved Philip Mazelu.
He is survived by Mrs. Jacquelyn Denaye Okeke - Wife, Dion Chukwudera Okeke - Son, Luke Oji Okeke - Son, Nneoma Regina Ekeodu Okeke - Mother, Mrs. Mary Chinyere Onyekwere - Sister, Vivian Uzoamaka Okeke - Sister, Mr. Chukwudi Reginald Okeke - Brother, Ifeyinwa Okeaku Okeke - Sister, Mr. Obinna Richard Okeke - Brother, their spouses and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating your time, talent or treasure to Catholic Charities.