Tegist Bekele Jankowiak's Obituary
Tegist Bekele Jankowiak – Beloved wife, daughter, sister, mother, and friend, passed on July 1st, 2024. She was born to Zewde Mulugeta and Bekele Gebrakidan, as the fourth of seven siblings in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia July 17th, 1961. Tegist grew up among friends at the Nazareth School in Addis, and close to her siblings.
She came to call Dallas, Texas, home in 1985 and graduated with her Bachelors in Accounting from the University of Texas, Dallas, and went on to work at Dac Easy in 1996. There she met the love of her life, Andrew Jankowiak, who she is survived by. The couple dated, fell in love, and eloped on August 31st, 1997, in Hawaii.
Tegist is also survived by her two daughters, Sarah and Samrah, mother Zewde, her siblings Mekonen, Tsehay, Hirut, Rebecca, and Chuchu. She loved her nieces and nephews, Eden, Zeru, Leah, Ezra, Jonathan N., Hannah, Jonathan T., Abigale, Rebecca, and Alison.
Tegist’s kindness was renowned throughout her family. Whenever there was someone in need, she was always willing and ready to provide help in any way, be it a listening ear, her calming presence, or pure generosity. She was a person who could speak their mind and people would listen.
Even through difficult times during her treatment, Tegist directed her care and was an active member of her own treatment team. She fought fearlessly and never lost hope. Till her end, she remained dignified and passed peacefully surrounded by family with warm thoughts and prayers. She will be dearly missed and remembered by all those who had the blessing to meet her.
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