Francis Kanayo

With heavy hearts, but with total submission to the will of God, we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend, Mr. Francis Omachonu Kanayo, on March 13, 2025, at the age of 61. He was born on May 6, 1963 in Makurdi, Nigeria and moved to the United States in 1987. In 2012, Francis married his sweetheart and love of his life, Isioma (Odum). Together, they raised three beautiful children, Kema, Jenna, and Nathan.

Francis earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Florida International University in Miami. His passion for education led him to obtain two master's degrees, one in Project Management, and another in Information Systems Management. Throughout his career, he worked for several notable companies, including Labcorp, Cook Children's Healthcare System, Discovery Life Sciences, Christus Health, Baylor-Scott & White Research, Texas Health Resources, and the Bose Corporation in Chicago.

While his academic achievements were commendable, Francis was most remembered for the way he made people feel. He was gentle, respectful, peace-loving, and easy-going. His disarming sense of humor could dissolve moments of despair and anguish. In times of conflict, Francis was always the voice of reason and the pathway to peace. He was everyone's favorite uncle, nephew, cousin, and friend.

In his early years, Francis played soccer in Benin City, Nigeria. His love for teaching soccer to young people was an important aspect of his life. His youngest child, Nathan, benefitted from the countless hours of soccer practice. And as a proud father, Francis often shared videos of the practices with family and friends.

Francis also had a love for listening to jazz music. One of his greatest joys came from his hobby as a DJ. His weekends came to life whenever he had an event, wedding, birthday celebration, anniversary, or a high school or college reunion. He had a unique talent for providing an endless parade of music curated for each occasion, keeping audiences dancing non-stop for extended periods to his carefully curated sounds. He saw DJing as more than a hobby, but as a way of spreading light and happiness to those around him.

Francis's passion for music and soccer was only surpassed by his love for his family. He was a dedicated father and mentor to his children and a loving husband to his wife, Isioma. And though Francis is no longer physically with us, his spirit, his music, and the love he shared will forever echo in our hearts. We are grateful for the outpouring of love, support, and generosity during this time.

Rest in peace, my love. Your melody will never fade.