Soumaley Marie-Madeleine Adouko

Born on May 10, 1939, into a family of four girls and three boys, Soumaley Marie-Madeleine ADOUKO was the second oldest child of Ehoulan Bernard ADOUKO and Atchingolié Marie-Thérèse ADJEGOUA from Bonoua, Côte d’Ivoire. “Marie-Madeleine”, her favored middle name when she is asked to state it, was also affectionately called “N’Gnin Èklè,” meaning “sister Èklè”, a show of respect and love from her adored late younger sister Assamlan “Assoué” Jeanine, who found the name “Soumaley” to be too unflattering. Mom was called by that nickname throughout her life by all her family members, as well as by some elders and acquaintances. She grew up in the famed “90-fenêtres” or “90-windows” compound of Bonoua, a colonial-era family home built by all the Adoukos, suited to the tropical heat for aeration, with its cathedral-ceiling architecture.

Mom received her Christian name at birth, a common practice even among African religious practitioners. Her mother, Marie-Thérèse, was the main catholic who, in turn, converted her children. Although Mom followed her parents' lead and sometimes attended Mass, she did not get baptized until she became an adult. Earlier in her life, she could not finish RCIA due to her attending to her sick mother, who later on would pass away. Since then, she has always nurtured a desire to become Catholic fully, but has been unable to do so due to her numerous responsibilities as a family woman. As a widow with four younger children, the Dakris had seven children as a couple but 10 children as a blended family. Nine of those were born to Mom.

Mom landed in Chicago in the summer of 2003 and spent a year and a half with us in Indianapolis. She was one of the lucky few mothers from her hometown to travel to America straight out of Bonoua. That year, her dream of finally becoming a Catholic came true when Mrs. Linda Semler, her catechist and godmother, found her ready for baptism after only a couple of catechism sessions. She could see through mom’s answers to the questions that mom had already received the Rites of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA).

At age 64, she was finally baptized at the Easter Vigil in April 2004 by the late Rev. Father Noah Casey in the beautiful, oldest Catholic church in the diocese of Indianapolis, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, dedicated in 1871 (155 years old today). Father Noah, who did not speak French, learned just enough French to administer the baptism ritual. Mom also received her confirmation that same night and took the name Angela, from St. Angela Merici, a teacher, because, through her, she sought to teach us children about love and the care of the family.

After that first trip to the United States, Mom returned to the Ivory Coast, preaching to her children to embrace the church, gifting them rosaries, and vowed to send all her grandchildren to school, as she had learned that education was a door-opener. She also prayed for her single daughters to obtain the grace of marriage. When she returned to the United States a year or so later, it was to hold another grandchild in her arms. After Micah Rose was born, David and Sam followed. Mom became their dedicated babysitter and Nanan for 20 years. The children called her “Minnih” or “mother” in abouré, mom’s native dialect. Mother loved St. John’s and could not have had a better place to say her last goodbye, in America. Coming to church on Sundays was her favorite activity as she would dress up in her traditional clothing and meet our friends and “second” family members. During that second trip to the United States, she became a US citizen on June 12, 2014, at age 75. At the ceremony, she was acknowledged as the oldest citizen that day and received a flag from the Capitol building in Washington, DC. Five years later, when she turned 80, she was given another accolade from the Mayor’s Office as an octogenarian. She was very grateful for all this attention and only had words of praise for her life in the United States. This good life of contentment and care is what allowed her to live 7 more years after going through a major life-changing event that left her in a wheelchair and homebound. Françoise, her dedicated daughter and caretaker, would take her communion on Sundays and bring her to church on holidays and special days like last May 10th when she attended her last French Mass at St. Monica, on her 87th birthday. Mom has also been included on St. John’s list of the sick since May 2017, when she received the rite of the Anointing of the Sick from Father Rick Nagel. Many dedicated members of the church would pray daily for the sick in the parish. Although in a wheelchair, Mom was always helping with household chores that helped her move around. She was called home to the Lord 17 days after her 87th birthday, after finishing her morning routine that day.

Her family is so proud of her accomplishments as a matriarch who bore 9 children, 7 of whom are still alive. She leaves behind 31 grandchildren, 62 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren. Mamie Soumaley Marie-Madeleine ADOUKO (« N’Gnèklè ") was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Dakri Joachim Noba; 5 siblings; 2 sons; 8 grandchildren; and 3 great-grandchildren. She will be dearly missed.