By KAYLA MATTEO
Staff Writer
Family and friends packed Saint Joan of Arc/The Black Apostolate church Friday morning to celebrate the life of Etemowei James Emem Oki, a Saint Rose student who was killed in a hit-and-run accident last Saturday. Nineteen year old Alfred Zwack is in Albany County Jail following the charges pending against him. Following the Mass, Oki was buried at Saratoga National Cemetery with military honors.
Cars jammed the parking lot and lined Menand Road between routes 378 and 32 at 10 a.m. as people mourned the loss of the 29-year-old Navy veteran who had just begun his first semester at Saint Rose. He was remembered during the ceremony as a caring and energetic individual. He traveled extensively and had a particular interest in writing. He was also a devout Christian with strong ties to his parish at Saint Joan of Arc church in Menands.
Father Chris DeGiovine, dean of spiritual life and chaplain at Saint Rose, read from John 11 during the Mass, “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die, and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.’”
This theme was echoed throughout the ceremony, especially by family friend Jerome Garrett, who, between funny anecdotes about growing up with James, reminded everyone in attendance that they would be reunited with him one day.
“There is a time for everything,” said Valerie Dokeyi Oki, in the opening reading of Ecclesiastes 3:1-11. “A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh.” April Oki told the overflowing church to wipe their tears, for this was not a time for sadness. It was a celebration of his life.
Just days before the Mass, friends spoke fondly of Oki.
At Shaker High School, Oki was a member of the track and field team his junior and senior years.
“He had a way of making everybody laugh, he was kind of subtle, you heard what he said and it was hilarious, and he was just a real funny kid,” Coach David Stadtlander told The Chronicle Thursday.
Stadtlander was Oki’s coach at Shaker in 2000 and 2001. Oki competed as a sprinter, in the long jump, the 100 meter, 200 meter, and in the 400 relay.
During his senior year, Oki’s hair got really long and he braided it, but started pulling out the braids and ran one of his races with half his hair braided and half not, his coach remembered.
“I remember this one day when we were driving to Penn relays, he and a couple of the guys were in the back seats of the Suburban and James and his friends were freestyle rapping, it was hilarious.”
During his first semester at Saint Rose, Oki was enrolled in a Public Relations History class. Several of his fellow classmates were assigned group work with him.
“In Ms. Sheridan’s class, I often got discouraged by Ms. Sheridan’s constant questions. Especially when I answered them incorrectly,” said Amal Tlaige. “But Etemowei always answered the teacher’s questions. Even when he didn’t have the right answers, that didn’t stop him. He was not afraid to ask me questions that other people would feel too embarrassed to ask or deem as stupid. He also had a good sense of humor.”
Another member of Oki’s group was Danielle Serrano. “He was full of very creative ideas and he was always willing to give input. I vividly remember his one idea of a trampoline day/painting day at the café to entertain the children,” said Serrano. “It was hysterical but definitely a one of a kind idea.”
A former classmate at Shaker High School who helped organize what would have been Oki’s 10 year reunion had been in touch periodically.
Carlene Godfrey said James reached out to her when he found a popular blog she wrote.
“He had just started writing his own poetry to express his inner ideas,” Godfrey wrote to The Chronicle. “My opinion was that James was brave. He laid down thoughts that shared his insecurities, his love of God, his questions about faith and human nature, and it was done in a way that allowed people from all walks of life to read his words without feeling attacked or judged. It takes a very good soul to walk that fine line and come out on the right side.”
Additional reporting by Tom McDonald, Alison Lester and Ian Benjamin.
