Mr. Samori Dewan Self

Samori Dewan Self was born November 10, 1972, to the late James L. Self, Sr., and Clementine Fearrington Self. He departed this life on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. 

Samori attended Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and graduated from Chapel Hill High School in 1991. As a kid, he was athletic and participated in baseball and football. He was actively involved in several activities at Russell Memorial CME Church, Durham, NC. He sang in the youth choir, served as a youth delegate in the annual conference, participated in the boy scouts, served as a junior steward, played basketball in the church athletics department, and was an activeparticipant in Sunday School. 

He attended college at the prestigious North Carolina A&T State University and graduated in 1996 with a B.S. in Electronics and Computer Technology. During college, he met the love his life, Sonya L. Self, and after graduation, they moved to Georgia to start their careers. They married in May 2003 and built a life together raising their two girls, Samya and Sydney, in Jonesboro, GA.  At the time of his death, Samori worked as a Senior Network Infrastructure Architect for Genpact/Cox Communications.

Samori was a great communicator, inquisitive thinker, a constantgiver, mentor, community advocate, and servant leader. He was also a jokester and loved to laugh. He was very compassionate for his community and served as a board member for the Creative Community Services (CCS), an organization that serves marginalized and underrepresented communities. Samori also served on the board of directors for Eagles Landing Cityhood, a group focused on planned developments, premier amenities, responsive city services, and much needed parks and libraries.

Samori and his family were devout members of Andrews Chapel United Methodist Church. He served as the vice president of the United Methodist Men. This organization worked with other community churches to serve an Annual Thanksgiving Community Meal to more than 500 people. Samori coordinated the annual Men’s Retreat for Andrews Chapel United Methodist men, which fostered an atmosphere of spiritual development. 

Samori and his wife, Sonya, co-chaired the Andrews Chapel Family Ministry where they sponsored several events that fostered family unity, including Movies on the Lawn, Hallelujah Night, Easter festivities, will and estate planning, and more. Samori also served on the Andrew Chapel’s Communications team assisting with IT and audio-visual technologies and worked closely with the Lay Ministry. 

He leaves to cherish his memory his loving wife, Sonya, two creative and talented daughters, Samya and Sydney (Jonesboro, GA); his mother Clementine Self (Chapel Hill, NC); one brother James (Jameria) and niece Jaynah (Durham, NC); Grandfather Joseph A. Fearrington; stepmother, Esther Self; and a host of aunts, uncles, in-laws, cousins, and friends. 

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