God saw that he was getting tired
A cure was not to be;
So, He put His arms around him
And whispered, “come with me.”
With tearful eyes, we watched him,
And saw him fade away.
Although we loved him dearly,
We could not make him stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,
Hard working hands to rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us,
He only takes “The Best.”
(Anonymous)
There are so many memories that come to mind when we think of our time with Mr. Joseph Ansah Quarshie, popularly known as ‘Lord Torso’; but the common theme in all of them, is how he made us all feel special. Lord Torso is one of our favourite colleagues because he made everyone feel like he had a special bond with them that no one could break. Whether it was in a formal setting or not, Lord Toso would make you feel loved.
We completed secondary school in 1982, but before then there were many things which stood Lord Torso as a Colossus in the class of 1982. Not only was he made a House Prefect of Aryee House, he worked hard during that year and that culminated in Aryee House winning the Inter-Houses athletic competition. Most people would agree that the athletic competition that year was very competitive, given the fact that the last race determined the winner of the competition. Aryee House won the title, and Lord Torso, the House Prefect, was carried shoulder high to signify the hard work he put in, and the dedication exhibited by his athletes and supporters.
Lord Torso, you were the very personification of loyalty to our 1982 Old Students Association; not only was he a founding member, but he always guided the Association with his strong knowledge in Finance and Audit.
We knew you travelled on official duty to Singapore and you had a health problem when you got there. We also know that you quickly came back to Ghana and was hospitalized at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. You subsequently recovered, and above all you accepted all the circumstances that ensued with a robot’s courage. We were surprised at the latest development because you appeared to have hope and confidence in your recovery. It was therefore very difficult for any of us to imagine a relapse later.
We remember the ensuing birthday party organized at your family house in Dansoman to signify your triumphant recovery. Nobody suspected anything like this. You were jovial and strong, and so we all thought we had won the battle and been declared victorious.
The Lord Torso we know is friendly, thoughtful and supportive. You are always ready to advise and support good initiatives. You love to laugh and always wear a smile on your face. Your passing into the spirit world is a great loss to our physical world. We will miss you. Death is the great leveller whose chalice we mortals will all taste one day. The content of this chalice, though bitter, also serves as an elixir that jogs our memory should we lose sight of our common humanity. It jolts us from the tendency to see life as an end in itself rather than a mere phase which is destined to end at some point.
Lord Torso, you were knowledgeable and also successful in so many ways. Your views about the world is one of support for each other. No wonder you helped a lot of our colleagues in need of resources, both financial and social.
Let us remember that while we wish Lord Torso a farewell and pray for the good Lord to receive him in Paradise, the greatest remembrance gift which has cunningly slipped away from our hands is the personality of Lord Torso. The vacuum he has created can never be filled again.
Those we love don’t go away.
They walk beside us every day;
Unseen, unheard, but always near,
Still loved, still missed and very dear,
Death leaves a heartache no one can heal,
Love leaves a memory no one can steal.”
Mr. Joseph Ansah Quarshie (aka Lord Torso), may you rest in perfect peace till we meet again.
By Marterson N.A. Armah (Class of 1982)