Jude Ndifor Fru was born on June 12, 1977, in Limbe, South West Province, Cameroon, to Daniel and Martha Fru. He is the third of four brothers.
Jude spent the first few years of his life in a small city called, Mondoni because of his Dad’s job assignment as the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) Group Mill Manager of that area. He was a young adventurer, who spent most of his time studying and hunting birds. Jude would name birds by the sounds they made or by the way they looked. He gave the name “Long Tail” to one bird specie and “Chi-chi-chorrro” to another.
In 1988 when he was eleven years old, his family moved to Tiko where he attended St. Mary’s Primary School. After achieving his First School Leaving Certificate and Common Entrance examination in 1989, he enrolled into one of the most prestigious Schools in Cameroon, St. Joseph’s College Sasse. While attending Sasse, Jude developed long lasting friends and was well loved and admired by his classmates. He was known in Sasse as “Sly Bumber” because he idolized the reggae musician “Sly Dumber”. Jude excelled in the GCE Ordinary Level Certificate in 1994 and Advance Level Certificate in 1996.
In 1998, Jude, his mother, and his youngest brother, Justin, moved to Houston, Texas where they lived with his cousin and wife, Mr. and Dr/Mrs. Minang. He became a member of Notre Dame Catholic Church and also worshipped with the Cameroonian Catholic community at St Anne De Beaupre Catholic church, where he strengthened his Christian faith. He enjoyed barbecuing and entertaining friends and family, telling jokes and making people laugh by the BBQ pit, and hence earned the title, “Chef” from his family and the name “J, U” from his friends. He was a very nurturing, dynamic, respectful and giving individual who assumed his father’s role after his Dad passed away on December 4th 2000. Not only did he assume that role, but he mastered and executed it in a way that made his mom, brothers and the entire family proud.
Jude took care of every one around him; and his influence extends not only to the SOBANs in Houston where he served as their secretary for several years, but also to the many he selflessly helped as he worked part time at the Houston Community College while pursuing his college education. He made it a point to go the extra mile to help many people to file for their financial aid and taxes each year.
In May 2007, Jude graduated from Texas Southern University with a Bachelor of Science degree with high Honors (Summa Cum) in Respiratory Therapy. Upon his graduation, he landed a job with Memorial Hermann Hospital as a Certified Respiratory Therapist where he worked until the Lord called him.
On April 18th 2010, Jude was diagnosed with advanced stage Liver cancer and as a result, his health plummeted rapidly over 6 weeks until that faithful day on May 23rd, 2010 when the Lord called him home. He leaves behind his mother, Mrs. Martha Fru, his three brothers, Mr. Francis Fru, Mr. Fidelis Fru, and Dr. Justin Fru, his sister-in-law, Dr Allyson Fru, their adopted brother and sister; Mr. and Mrs. Scott and Phirun Fricke, his grand parents, a host of aunts, uncles and cousins including the cousins he called Mom and Dad in the US; Mr and Dr/Mrs. Peter and Claire Minang, a very special person called Ms. Mary Nkwain and a sea of friends. He will be dearly missed by his family, his friends and his colleagues at Memorial Hermann Hospital. Adieu “Chef JU” to our Father’s land of no Pain.