In 1945, Ursula Newman became one
of the first three Baha'is in Britain to answer the needs of a plan to spread
the Faith by relocating to other towns, moving to St. Ives.
Shortly afterwards, she moved to
Dublin and there became a member of the first Local Spiritual Assembly of that
city (and of Ireland), and served as secretary at the time when the now
internationally famous and historic figure, George Townshend (later named a
Hand of the Cause) was chairman.
Longtime Irish Baha'i Olive
McKinley, who described Mrs. Samandari as artistically talented and a
"magnificent teacher of the Faith" recalls: "She had a wonderful
sense of humor and everything seemed a joy and hilarious occasion to her -- no
wonder David Hofman (Mr. Townshend's biographer) wrote that George Townshend
missed his secretary so much when she had gone from Dublin."
Ursula married Dr. Mihdi Samandari,
with whom she had served the Faith in Belfast, at the Baha'i Center in London
in 1951.
In 1953, the couple moved to
Nairobi, Kenya, and a year later went to live in Mogadishu, Somalia where they
stayed until 1971. At the request of the Universal House of Justice, they
pioneered (moved to assist the development of the Faith) to Cameroon.
Described by the Universal House
of Justice as a "noble soul", Mrs. Samandari passed away at her
pioneering post in Buea, Cameroon, after a long illness. Dr. Samandari survives
her.
The Universal House of Justice has
advised the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Cameroon to hold
memorial gatherings in her honor throughout the country.
Editor's note:
After the publication of this
story a report was received of the funeral of Mrs. Samandari from the Local
Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Buea.
The report said Mrs. Samandari was
buried at the Baha'i Center in Buea following a funeral service which included
prayers, songs and a eulogy. The service ended with the Baha'i prayer for the
dead. Throughout the burial, the Baha'is were singing, humming and chanting.
In attendance was Dr. Samandari
together with more than 200 people, from the Baha'i and wider community,
including two members of the Continental Board of Counsellors, four Auxiliary
Board Members, and six members of the National Spiritual Assembly of the
Baha'is of Cameroon.
Among comments in the condolence
register were those of the paramount chief of Buea, HRH Samuel L. Endeley, a
friend of the Samandaris since they arrived in the country. He wrote:
"My dear Sister, You lived
with us like one of us, you served faithfully and lovingly to win souls into
God's redeeming grace. You loved us and our country, Cameroon, and you have
demonstrated this in dying here like the good soldier of God you have lived to
be. You died with your boots on. We thank God for all you were to us. May your
soul rest with the good God, our creator, in perfect peace."
