Beatrice Chella, age 63, of McKinney, Texas, passed away December 23, 2012, in McKinney. Beatrice was born August 10, 1949, in Luanshya, Zambia, to Musa and Florence (Phiri) Banda. She attended secondary school at Ibenga, Zambia. Beatrice went to nursing school in Kitwe, where she met her first husband, the late Dr. Winford Moses Lungu. They were married in 1971. Beatrice later changed careers, attended college at Kianda College in Kenya, and joined Barclays Bank where she spent over twenty years before her retirement in 1998. She was a member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Zambia, and after moving to the U.S., she attended The Fountain of Living Waters Church, an outreach of Debbie Banda Ministries International. Beatrice loved basketball, especially watching LeBron James and the Miami Heat. She also loved watching CNN. Most importantly, Beatrice loved and adored her grandchildren.
She is survived by her daughters, Rachel Mayo of New York and Niza Chella of Lusaka, Zambia; sons, Esau Lungu and wife, Nora of Plano, Texas, Jacob Lungu and wife, Doreen of McKinney, Texas, Winford Lungu, and Richard Lungu, both of Lusaka, Zambia; five grandchildren; brothers, Bright Banda, Emmanuel Banda, Crispin Banda, and Lucky Banda; sister, Leah Banda Kalenga; and niece, Salome Banda Zimba.
She was preceded in death by parents.
A funeral service will be held at 4:00 p.m., Saturday, December 29, 2012, at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Chapel in Allen, Texas. The family will receive friends during a visitation from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., Friday evening at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home in Allen.
Interment will be held at a later date in Lusaka, Zambia.