•He said Laboso's family were initially reluctant to let them marry, but their perseverance prevailed. He used an intermediary to call her from a phone booth.
•They kept her condition under wraps and she even ran a little in a half-marathon she organised to raise NHIF funds for needy families.
Image: DOUGLAS OKIDDY
Thirty-seven years ago, a young manager of Africa Highlands tea estates in Kericho spotted a college girl and pursued a friendship that eventually led to marriage. The path was not easy.
Edwin Abonyo, widower of Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso, on Thursday recounted how their love overcame resistance when he sought the blessings of Laboso's family.
Speaking as he eulogised his wife at All Saints Cathedral, Abonyo exposed some of the undercurrents as they were building their marriage decades back, owing to their different cultural backgrounds.
"I knew her as I worked in Kericho and I knew two of her cousins who became very good friends of mine. Sometimes I would accompany them to their family meetings and during these gatherings, my friendship with Joyce grew," he said.
However, Joyce's father Fredrick Laboso was very tough, wanting none of it. In fact, whenever the two wanted to communicate, Edwin would use his cousin Sam Ngondi as an intermediary to make calls from a phone booth but only speak after he heard Joyce's voice.
I'd advise parents: let your children be if they love one another.Edwin Obonyo
"Edwin would send me to make the calls to Joyce on his behalf but he told me that if a man answered, I should hang up immediately," Ngondi said.
"Her mother was a little soft on me, I think she liked me a bit, but cautiously," a composed Abonyo told a captivated audience.
Despite the opposition, Abonyo said, their friendship was solid enough to weather it all, eventually culminating in marriage.
"Joyce was a good person. A peaceful, gracious, and humble woman who meant her word. She chose me because of who I am, not looking at where I came from," Abonyo said.
He went on, "For young couples, I hope one day I will be able to tell my children the same. If you love one another and believe in one another, nothing can stop you from being a couple".
"Against all these challenges, we became friends...and eventually became man and wife," he added, emphasising their tenacity and union of purpose.
"I'd advise parents: let your children be if they love one another," Abonyo said.
Their love would face its first test in 1991 when his Joyce was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, a challenge they eventually overcame, though it shook them to the core.
At that time, they already had two sons, Bryan and Ted Abonyo, but her health made it impossible to have more children.
They fostered one more child and supported another girl.
"When Joyce was first diagnosed, it was a scare. We were two young people, still learning a lot of things...and not sure if our parents loved us and really appreciated this marriage.
"They probably thought our marriage was going to fail, then came the disease," he said.
Abonyo would drive to his parents home from Kericho and tell his mother about the condition of his young wife. He cried at his mother's feet.
"Upon breaking the sad news to my mother, we knelt down and prayed. My mother then said that God would see us through," he said.
Doubtful of the mother's promise, Abonyo drove back to Kericho and the next day took the woman described as an 'iron lady' to Nairobi Hospital for treatment.
She hated drama and sympathy so she avoided telling most people, including our sons.Edwin Obooyo
"The hospital did chemo and radiotherapy and she survived," he said. The radiotherapy had future side effects.
Battle with cancer
"Even after Joyce was declared cancer-free, she often fell ill but only very close friends knew the whole truth," Abonyo said.
Her condition was kept under wraps for a long time, not even their children knew.
"Brian and Ted learnt about their mother's condition when they were in their 20s. She hated sympathy and drama so she avoided telling them," he said.
She was very confident she would conquer the disease.
Abonyo said that cancer returned the second time in February this year.
At the time, she had organised a Universal Health Care half-marathon to raise funds towards the National Health Insurance Fund fees for needy families in Bomet. Deputy President William Ruto presided.
Abonyo said that she was unwell but she still ran so the public would not suspect her deteriorating health.
"She could run a bit then get back to the car. At the stadium she did another lap, then went to rest in a hotel before the arrival of the Deputy President," he said.
On Ruto's arrival at the event, Laboso quickly washed her face and went to receive him as if nothing was wrong.
Joyce Laboso died on Monday aged 59 and will be buried on Saturday.