Remembering Leann
Leann Breed with her beloved Mel
The Passing of Leann Breed
With very heavy hearts, we are sharing the sad news that our dear friend and Educate Tanzania Board member, Leann Breed, has passed away. Her legacy with ETI is long, deep and broad. We are heartbroken at the loss of such a close friend and champion for the people of Tanzania, but grateful for all she brought to our lives. She will be treasured in our hearts until we reunite. Jan Hansen, President/CEO
Click on “Remembering Leann” (image above) to view the tribute to her life.
Leann Breed Funeral Service
Spirit Lutheran Church, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
March 14 10:00 a.m. Visitation / 11:30 a.m. Service
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From Benson Bagonza, Bishop, Karagwe Diocese, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Karagwe
"For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.” Hebrews 13:14
With a heavy heart and grief, I write as a way of accepting that my beloved Leann Coble Breed has left me and others and gone to the Lord. It was traumatic to receive that news from Jan and together we cried all night. Some of us have not recovered from the loss we endured through Mel leaving us. Leann's loss has opened wide our wounds.
It was just a week before she left that I chatted with her through messenger. It was her who started a chat and then I picked up and inquired many things about Eau Claire. She was looking forward to coming to Tanzania this coming summer, not only to see us but also to see where we have buried some of Mel's ashes at Karuco. It will not happen till we meet in heaven.
Leann was such a beautiful woman with sweet heart. She stood by her Mel and her shadow was always ensuring and encouraging to Mel and the family to keep doing good and being kind to thousands known and unknown. Her home, neat as it was always, was a home for all us from Tanzania passing through Eau Claire. She had such penetrating eyes to see what is lacking from a person's need and she cared for it right away. I will indeed miss her.
Maybe, in the absence of right words to say, suffice it to use my tribe's way of comforting one another: "God also wants good people to be around Godself. God would not harvest the bad ones".
Rest in Peace Leann,
Till we meet again.
Bishop Benson Bagonza
Karagwe Diocese, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania
currently in Sweden
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From Becky McCathie, Vice President, Board of Directors
On behalf of the Educate Tanzania (ETI) Board of Directors, we send our heartfelt condolences to all who knew and loved Leann. She was a wonderful friend to ETI for many years. As a guest, she attended nearly every meeting when Mel was on the board, bringing her warmth and support to the room and conversations. After Mel's passing, she graciously stepped into an official Board role. She was a faithful steward of the ETI vision, fully embraced and graciously supported the food processing plant, the MEL House and the MEL Program. She did so with friendliness and compassion that were signature qualities of Leann. These three projects are prime examples of the legacy of both her and Mel: they are impactful and meaningful, showing what it means to live generously and in service to others. Leann's continual encouragement for the efforts of ETI will be echoed by the individuals in Tanzania who are beneficiaries of the love shown to them through these projects and more. Thank you to the family for sharing Leann with us, and we pray that you are comforted by knowing the promise of her faith is now her reality.
Rest in peace, Leann. Until we meet again.
