Stella laid to rest
The National, Monday 3rd June 2013
By PISAI GUMAR
MOROBE Governor Kelly Naru played the famous hymn Amazing Grace on the harmonica as he paid tribute to and farewelled his late wife Stella in Morobe last Saturday.
Stella Kalina Mua Naru was laid to rest at Irom village in the Bumbu headwaters behind Igam Barracks in Lae, Morobe.
Soldiers from the PNG Defence Force Engineers Battalion carried her casket and buried her, watched by people who flocked to Irom from the nine districts of Morobe and Chimbu, including politicians, church and business leaders.
Dignitaries included ELC-PNG head bishop Giegere Wenge, deputy Zau Rapa, secretary Albert Tokave, Minister for Justice and Attorney-General Kerenga Kua, Karimui-Nomane MP Mogerema Sigo Maue, Deputy Chimbu Governor Teine Songan, Lae MP Loujaya Toni, Justice Don Sawong and provincial members.
Naru said that Stella’s dedication and commitment was a pillar of strength for the family in the past eight years which translated into his success as the second governor of the big province.
“Let us turn the mourning into joy, praise God and give glory to Him for the life through Christ. Let us have peace in mind and heart,” Naru told mourners.
“I lost my true love and a heart that’s worth the value of gold and silver, a human life and partner. Lord has giveth and taketh from me and our six children. But let me assure Christians to have peace and give glory to God.”
She was born on March 8, 1985 in Kundiawa, Chimbu and raised by her soldier uncle at the Taurama Barracks. She worked for the Mondo second-hand clothing in Port Moresby.
She graduated with a diploma in information technology at the International Training Institute after attending Taurama Primary School from 1990 to 1996 and Kwila Secondary School from 1997 to 1998.
She met lawyer and husband Kelly in 2004, who in 2006 paid K77,000 and pigs as the bride price.