Today, a piece of our soul rose to Heaven, our beloved Nane, Gjyke Prelvukaj Gjonbalaj.

Known with immense pride as Gjyke Metja, she carried that name with honor, humility, and grace throughout her life. Her character was pure, her spirit gentle, and her faith unwavering. 

She lived a life marked by hardship, sacrifice, and sorrow beyond measure, carrying burdens that no heart should ever have to endure. Throughout her life, she experienced profound loss, the passing of her parents, all of her siblings, her husband, Halil Mema, and, to crown her deepest grief, her firstborn child and best friend, Zenun Halili. Yet even in the face of such unimaginable suffering, she carried herself with extraordinary strength, dignity, patience, and a heart that never stopped loving.

Though life repeatedly broke her heart, she never allowed bitterness to take root. Instead, she continued to give love, to nurture, and to stand as the foundation of her family. 

She was the devoted mother of six children, a grandmother of fifteen some near, many far yet all held close in her heart. Their faces lived beside her, framed in photographs by her bedside, where love never knew absence.

She taught us, not only through words but through her life, the meaning of endurance, sacrifice, compassion, and unconditional love.

Today, our hearts are filled with deep sorrow, but we find comfort in believing that she now rests in eternal peace, reunited with all those she loved and lost throughout her lifetime.

Beloved Nane, we will never forget your gentle smile, your warm voice, and the endless love you gave so freely and selflessly. You leave behind a void that can never be filled, but also a legacy that will never fade, a legacy of love, strength, faith, and goodness that will live on through your children, your grandchildren.

Lamtumirë, nënë e shtrenjtë, zemra jonë do të të mbajë gjithmonë pranëz