Jamelle C. Hoskins Nnakwe

Life and Legacy of Jamelle Charisse Hoskins-Nnakwe Sunrise April 4, 1959 - Sunset November 13, 2024, Jamelle was born on April 4, 1959, in Jersey City, New Jersey to the proud parents of Mr. Kelly Hoskins and Mrs. Mabel Hoskins. She was the baby girl of the family and had three older sisters Sandra, Deborah and Carolyn Hoskins. Jamelle attended school in Jersey City and graduated with Honors from Lincoln High School on June 14, 1977. She continued her education as a college student at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. She graduated with Honors and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Spanish on May 16, 1981. Jamelle continued her studies at Seton Hall and received her M.A. degree in education and holds a New Jersey state certification in supervision. She also attended the University of Madrid in Madrid, Spain where she received her diploma in Spanish Language and Culture. Later, she received a diploma in Spanish Language and Culture from the Teacher’s College at Columbia University in New York City.

While attending Seton Hall University, she met Tom Ify Nnakwe. Jamelle and Tom married on July 17, 1993, at the New Hope Baptist Church in East Orange, New Jersey. From this union Jamelle and Tom had a beautiful daughter named Adaora Chante’ Nnakwe.

Jamelle was a bilingual teacher and supervisor in the Newark Public Schools for 40 years. She was also a former adjunct professor of ESL (English as a Second Language) at Essex County College in Newark, New Jersey and retired on June 20, 2023, from the Newark Board of Education. Jamelle continued to travel extensively throughout the years. She traveled to Mexico, Spain, North Africa, the Caribbean and throughout the United States and met many influential people along the way. Jamelle was the life of the party. She loved getting dressed up, going to Broadway plays, and listening to many genres of music. She was a huge fan of Michael Jackson and was a part of the Jackson 5 fan club. She was a member of the Kappa Delta Pi, an International Honor Society in Education. Her poem entitled “Celebrating American Holidays” was published in 2004. Jamelle always had a passion for journalism.

She published her first book in 2017 entitled “I Can Speak Two Languages”, which is a bilingual (Spanish/English) children’s book of poems that translates creatively from English to Spanish within the poems. She promoted her book in many local bookstores including Barnes & Noble and the Source of Knowledge bookstore in Newark, NJ. She passed away on November 13, 2024, at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in Somerville, NJ.

Jamelle leaves to mourn her beloved husband Tom Ify Nnakwe and a beautiful and loving daughter Adaora Chante’ Nnakwe, three sisters Sandra Ingram, Deborah Waters, Carolyn Hoskins, brother-in law Freeman Ingram, nieces Keeshia Ingram, Sheha Waters, nephews Imanuel Hoskins, Omar Rawles, niece-in-law Heidi Hoskins, Keri Rawles, great nieces Nyah, Sariah, Ishamma Hoskins, Jasmine Rawles, Jada Muhammad and great nephew Josiah Banks, Malchijah Hoskins and a host of other family members and friends. May Jamelle rest in peace in her new eternal home. 2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. “You are always in our hearts and spirits.” - Love The Family