Penelope Ann Ayara-Ekpe (21 Nov 1940 - 2 Oct 2019)

May you rest in peace Penny. You were an amazing, kind and beautiful person. So sorry. xox

Thanks Penny for all the fond memories and help you gave our family over the years.

All our love,
Vincent Synan

RIP Aunty Penny. ❤️ I’ll never forget your loving, welcoming hugs.
Uncle Jerry, Dom, Seb and Ben, I pray that you all find strength and solace in the lovely memories you shared together. Xxx

Mary and Adam Ford will be attending the funeral

RIP dearest Penny, you will be missed by so many not least of all your gorgeous family. Much love Jane xx

Liz and Adrian Ford will be attending the funeral

“Aunty Penny” was one of my mum and my family’s closest friends from when Dom, Seb and Ben were all growing up together as kids in Lagos, Nigeria.

From our days of living above Uncle Jerry’s Flying Ant restaurant in Apapa, through her being the Catering Manager at the Apapa Club (ultra VIP birthday parties for us as kids), to her working at the Volkswagen factory in Lagos and being picked up in their huge black ‘Mercury’ American car, or even arranging my first ever helicopter trip with Dom over the wharf in Apapa, Aunty Penny was always that 2nd go to mum, if ever my sisters and I ever needed anything and our mum wasn’t around.

My favourite memory of Aunty Penny is her literally piggy-backing me back home from Corona primary school during the rainy season floods and wading through virtually waist high flood water through the flooded streets of Lagos, to get me back me back home (the roads were impassable for cars). After about a mile of wading, she tripped and stumbled into an open gutter, so we both landed face first into the water, laughing our heads off and totally drenched from head to toe in filthy brown flood water.
Nothing was ever too much for Aunty Penny to do for others and everything she did for others was always done with a big laugh, huge smile and awesome hug.

There are very few happy childhood memories which I can now recall, where Aunty Penny and ‘the boys’ were not in some way intrinsically involved; whether we were all at the Apapa Club, their home, Nigerwives meetings etc etc.

Aunty Penny was one of life’s few truly very SPECIAL people, who exuded love, warmth and kindness to so many others and we were all very privileged to have all had the opportunity and honour to have known her and had her in our lives.

We all know that now that she has now finally shorn of the shackles of physical pain; suffering and illness that have haunted her over her last few years, and she is finally now happy and able to freely laugh and smile at us all, as she watches over us all carrying on with the trials and tribulations our daily lives.

My thoughts and prayers are with my brothers Dom, Seb and Ben along with their children, as well as dear Uncle Jerry, as you all adjust to life without having her around.

Enjoy a very well earned rest in Perfect in Perfect Peace Aunty Penny. You are very much missed but remain with us all eternally steadfast in our fondest memories 🙏🏽😘❤️❤️❤️

In memory of a very special sister

Missing you loads already. Thanks for being such a great/fun part of ours and everyone’s lives. Lots of love always from the Igwe/ Ofoegbu’s 😘🙏🏽❤️❤️

Growing up with Seb, Ben and Dom I grew fond of penny, she was a very warm, intelligent and fun lady and a good friend.
I live two doors away and popped round regualy when she needed help with something, this always led to a funny conversation about us kids growing up - memories I will cherish.

I remember Penny as being a kind, warm and larger then life personality She was a generous support and mentor for me during my time at BAT for which I will be forever grateful.

The friendship between Penny and Susan was just gorgeous to see and her love for her family was incredible.

She will be hugely missed and fondly remembered by so many.

Hester xx

For Penny, with love

Always in my heart