The five daughters of veteran actress Grace Nortey have paid tribute to their mother, describing her as a woman who created for them the loving home she never experienced herself.
Their tribute was read at her funeral at the State House forecourt in Accra on Saturday. Actress Sheila Nortey became tearful as she delivered the message, in a video shared on Instagram by The 1957 News.
The tribute was signed by Vida Enchill, Andriana Nortey, Barbara Tabi, Sheila Nortey and Rita Nortey.
The sisters said Grace Nortey lost both of her parents at an early age and was brought up by different relatives. They said those experiences shaped the way she raised her own children.
“You gave us what you did not get,” they said, acknowledging the care and stability she worked to provide for her family.
The daughters recalled how their mother taught them the practical skills she believed they would need to manage a household. They learned to cook, clean, do laundry, iron and run a home, with each daughter expected to take a turn at the chores whether she wanted to or not.
They also remembered that she disciplined them when necessary, adding that they now understood the reasons for her strictness.
Grace Nortey married their father, Archibald Nortey, while she was still in her teens. The couple remained together until his death in his seventies.
According to the daughters, she used the experience of that long marriage when advising other couples. She also became a sought-after okyeame at engagement ceremonies.
Grace Nortey discovered radio and acting while she was working with the Ghana Education Service. After retiring, she pursued both interests fully.
Her acting work became part of family life, with some of her daughters helping her rehearse scripts at home.
They said her career eventually gave her many more children beyond her own five daughters, as audiences and others came to regard her as a role model.
Grace Nortey died in August aged 89.
