Stella A. Bonsu

Stella Akua Bonsu passed away peacefully on June 1, 2025 at the age of 51 years. She was born June 20, 1973 in the Bronx, New York to parents, Janet and Addai Bonsu, who emigrated from Ghana, West Africa. Stella was a registered nurse, and a beloved wife, daughter, sister and friend.

In her younger days, Stella had a wide variety of interests. She was a member of the City Volunteer Corps (CVC), a NYC organization focused on community service and youth development. Through her involvement with CVC, Stella spent her weekends helping the city by distributing food to the homeless, cleaning up parks, recording the life histories of elderly residents and performing other civic-minded activities. For her contributions, she gained valuable experience as well as scholarships for school.

Stella also trained at Barbizon Modeling and Acting School and pursued modelling for a few years after she completed the program. She ultimately left her budding modeling career behind, but her poise and presence always remained.

Though her interests outside of school were varied, her focus in school was singular. She wanted to get a quality education in order to secure a future for herself so she could give back to the parents that had given her so much. She graduated from St. Barnabas High School in the Bronx in 1991, and received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Adelphi University in Garden City, Long Island in 1996. She would go on to obtain her nursing license in both New York and Pennsylvania.

Stella's career in nursing spanned more than 25 years and took her from the east coast to the west coast. During a stint as a travel nurse, she worked in California and went on to spend ten years living there before returning to New York in 2014. She had experience in multiple clinical settings - from Medical-Surgical to Geriactric Care, including several years in acute areas such as heart failure and ventilator units. She was proud to be a two-time nominee for the DAISY Award - international program that recognizes the exceptional, skillful, compassionate care that nurses provide to patients and their families.

One of the few things that Stella prioritized above her work was her faith. She was baptised Roman Catholic when she was in highschool at St. Barnabas. She attended various Christian churches of different denominations throughout her life, but returned to Catholicism again when she met her second husband Patrick Tarpey in 2019 who was also Catholic.

Four years after they married, Stella was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. She battled the disease for two years, but eventually succumbed to it. Stella is survived by her mother, Janet, and her four siblings - Kwabena, Joyce, Sonia and Yvette.

She may be gone, but her memory will be cherished and kept alive forever. May her soul rest in perfect peace.