Ellen Mlambo

MIRROR REPORTER

MASVINGO-Devout catholic, educationist and former Masvingo City Housing Director Lenos Reuben Vandirai-Ushe’s wife, Mbuya Tererai Mugove Vandirai (78) died after a lengthy battle with liver cancer on Sunday afternoon.

She died around 1 pm at her house in Rhodene and her burial is tomorrow at Vandirai Village under chief Charumbira in Masvingo rural.

Her first born child Tom confirmed the death and burial program to The Mirror. He added that a mass will be conducted at 2:30 pm today at the main Cathedral along Mashava road

“Her body will be taken from Nyaradzo Funeral Services parlour to Rhodene for prayers before a mass is conducted at 2:30 pm at the main Cathedral along Mashava road. After the mass, the body will be taken for burial. 

 “We used to call her ‘vasinyerere’ because she was a quiet person. She was very loving, hardworking and a perfectionist. She was a girls’ guides’ leader for a number of years,” he said.

Mbuya Vandirai taught at several schools in Masvingo including Bondolfi, Dikwindi and Vurombo primary schools before retiring in 2010.

She was born in Nyimo Village in Buhera in 1945 and attended Makumbe Primary and Zimuto Mission. She trained as a teacher majoring in Home Economics. Mbuya Vandirai taught at Bondolfi Primary before joining Dikwindi Primary in 1983. She transferred to Vurombo Primary in 1986 and left the school in 2010 when she retired.

She is survived by five children, four boys and a girl and 10 grandchildren. Three of her children are in the teaching profession at Great Zimbabwe University, Ndarama High School and Runyararo Primary School whilst two are entrepreneurs.