Andre Edward Kponou (“Teddy”) of Framingham, MA passed away peacefully on March 26, 2026 at the age of 79. Andre was the third child of Mary and Andre Kponou, Sr., born on June 25, 1946 in Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa. He attended the Central Municipal Primary School and the Prince of Wales Secondary School, both in Freetown. After secondary school, he worked for a few years as a clerk in a local branch of the Government-operated Bank of Sierra Leone.
In 1966, Andre left home to pursue training at the Merchant Marine school in Aberdeen, Scotland. He acquired his Second Mate Ticket and worked for the British Merchant Marines for over ten years, traveling all over the world. With Liverpool as his base, he married Aileen Barrow in 1972 and they had a daughter, Melissa Makeba – named after Miriam Makeba, the South African singer, songwriter, and anti-Apartheid civil rights activist. The marriage ended in the late seventies.
By the early eighties, Andre decided to end his seafaring days and settle in the United States. In 1983, Andre married his childhood sweetheart, Hagar-Mae Godwin and they were blessed with two sons, Mandela and Biko. With his son’s names, Andre again honored African civil rights leaders and anti-Apartheid activists: Nelson Mandela and Steve Biko.
Andre started his business, Sharp-Edge Sharpening Service in 1989, working with builders, printers, carpenters, and the local community sharpening blades of all kinds. Andre also served as the Sexton of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Framingham for many years. Additionally, he worked for the CSX Corporation (railroad transit) and Adesa in Framingham. Andre finished his working years a courier for a pharmaceutical company delivering drugs to hospitals across the Northeast.
Although Andre enjoyed international cuisine from his seafaring days, he especially loved homemade West African food, Sierra Leonean in particular. Andre collected sophisticated 35 mm film and digital cameras. He prided himself on his physical fitness and enjoyed exercise and very, very long walks! Andre had a great sense of humor and would chuckle when his sons gave him a hard time.
Andre is survived by his wife, Hagar-Mae Godwin and the Godwin family; his son Mandela Kponou and grandson Siah Kponou; his son Biko Kponou and daughter-in-law, Mia Lin; and his daughter, Melissa Kponou, of Liverpool, UK. He is also survived by his brothers, Ahovi Kponou and his wife Yvonne, Sewanu Kponou, and his brother by adoption Sorie (Chogoe) Kamara; and by numerous other members of a large and loving extended family.
A funeral service and celebration of life will be held on Saturday, May 16th at 10:30am at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 3 Maple St, Framingham, MA 01702. A reception shall follow in the church’s Harris Hall. Teddy’s ashes will be scattered in the Atlantic Ocean.
To share a memory with Andre’s family, kindly visit www.nortonfuneralhome.com
McCarthy, McKinney & Lawler Funeral Home